The U.S. government shutdown started on October 1, 2025 — the same day the Medicare telehealth extensions expired. This means that until the government opens back up, it’s unclear whether telehealth payments will ever be reinstated for Medicare patients. And until that’s worked out, Medicare will continue its claims hold involving telehealth and certain other services.

Check out a few facts you should know about the claims hold so you can know which payments to expect and which you’ll need to wait to receive.

The Claims Hold Doesn’t Apply to All Services

Medicare administrative contractors (MACs) won’t hold every Medicare claim you submit. Instead, the claims hold applies to services you perform on October 1, 2025 or afterward that are “for services impacted by the expired provisions,” CMS said in a mid-October Claims Hold Update.

This includes telehealth services, other than those for behavioral or mental health care. It also applies to “services provided in locations with a work geographic practice cost index (GPCI) below the 1.0 floor,” CMS said.

Other Claims Should Be Paid “in a Timely Manner”

Although CMS previously announced that all claims would be held during the shutdown, the agency quickly reversed course, noting that MACs would “continue to process and pay claims in a timely manner with the exception of select claims for services impacted by the expired provisions.” This means you shouldn’t see payment delays for your other services, outside of telehealth and GPCI-affected claims.

Consider Telehealth ABNs

Practices are advised to provide advance beneficiary notices (ABNs) to Medicare patients who want to see their providers over telehealth. That way, if the government does not reinstate the telehealth extensions after the shutdown ends, patients will be responsible for paying you for those telehealth visits that are currently being held. If telehealth is once again payable after the government reopens, then your payer will reimburse you for these visits after the claims hold is lifted.