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As Medicare telehealth coverage faces Jan. 31 deadline, CalPERS says it is advocating and will explore benefits beyond Medicare

California Public Employees Retirement System (CalPERS) town hall · January 28, 2026
AI-Generated Content: All content on this page was generated by AI to highlight key points from the meeting. For complete details and context, we recommend watching the full video. so we can fix them.

Summary

Callers asked whether CalPERS is pushing to extend federal telehealth rules or to make telehealth a CalPERS benefit if Medicare coverage lapses; Yvonne Walker said CalPERS is active federally and will inquire about adding telehealth as a benefit beyond Medicare.

During the Jan. 31 town hall, a retiree identified as Laura raised a policy question about telehealth after noting that "as of January 31, Medicare coverage for telehealth visits expires" at the federal level. She asked whether CalPERS is "playing an active role" in seeking an extension or making telehealth a CalPERS benefit beyond Medicare if federal coverage lapses.

Walker said CalPERS is "very active in advocating" at the federal level and cited testimony by CalPERS’ chief medical officer, Don Moles, before a committee. She said CalPERS staff likely submit comment letters and testimony when federal rules are under consideration and that she would "inquire and advocate" for telehealth to be considered as a benefit beyond Medicare coverage if necessary.

Walker noted there may be exceptions for rural or disability populations but said CalPERS would explore broader coverage options. She also said staff follow federal rulemaking and engage as appropriate to protect members’ interests.

No legislative action or new CalPERS benefit was adopted during the town hall. Walker said CalPERS would check current advocacy steps and report back to the caller and to members who raise the issue.