As we close out 2025, one thing is clear - momentum around virtual care is accelerating. From federal advocacy to new funding opportunities, the shift toward scalable, connected care models is happening in real time.

We’re proud that Life365 was selected as one of three organizations to receive support from the AZAdvances Improving Health for Veterans Initiative. This project will help demonstrate how cellular-enabled devices, hubs, and satellite connectivity can expand access for Veterans in rural and remote areas.

In November, I met with federal leaders in Washington, D.C. - including Representatives David Schweikert and Adelita Grijalva - to discuss modernizing how virtual care is delivered, particularly for underserved and Veteran populations. These conversations reinforce a shared commitment to improving access through practical, technology-enabled models.

Looking ahead, I’m honored to serve as a keynote speaker at the IEEE Rising Stars Conference in January and will be participating in CES and the J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference. If you’ll be attending any of these events, please reach out - I’d welcome the opportunity to connect.

Thank you for your continued support as we work to make virtual-first care more accessible, scalable, and impactful for the communities we serve.

Life365 Awarded AZAdvances Grant

to Help Veterans in Arizona

We’re excited to share that Life365 has been selected as one of three organizations to receive funding through the AZAdvances Improving Health for Veterans Initiative. This grant program supports innovative projects designed to improve access to care, advance health equity, and bring new health technologies to underserved Veteran populations across Arizona.

Our project will run through fall 2026 and will evaluate the feasibility and user acceptance of the Life365 VetConnect First platform - including cellular-enabled devices, hubs, and satellite connectivity where needed - to support Veterans living in rural and remote parts of the state. The pilot will measure ease of use, connectivity reliability, satisfaction, and overall impact on Veterans’ ability to manage their health at home.

📢  Policy Updates

Telehealth Policy

The House approved - and the President signed - H.R. 5371, the Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act of 2026, ending the 43-day government shutdown and restoring funding for federal agencies, including CMS. The legislation also extends Medicare telehealth flexibilities through January 30, 2026.

The bill provides retroactive reimbursement for telehealth services delivered during the shutdown, dating back to October 1, 2025, meaning previously held claims will now be paid. Medicare telehealth rules revert to their pre-shutdown state, preserving pandemic-era flexibilities that had been extended through September 30, 2025.

Read H.R. 5371, here.

Congress Advances Hospital-at-Home Extension

On Monday, 12/1 the House unanimously passed the Hospital Inpatient Services Modernization Act (H.R. 4313 / S. 2237), extending Hospital-at-Home waivers through 2030 and enabling hospitals to continue delivering acute care in patients’ homes. The bill now moves to the Senate.

View the bill, here.

CMS Finalizes New RPM Flexibilities in the 2026 Physician Fee Schedule

On Nov 6, 2025, CMS released the 2026 Physician Fee Schedule, introducing new RPM codes - including CPT 99445 (2–15 days of data in a 30-day period) and CPT 99470 (RPM treatment management with ~10 minutes of clinical time). These updates remove the strict 16-day data requirement, making short-term or lower-touch monitoring financially viable. CPT 99445 will be “reimbursed at the same rate” in 2026 as the prior device-supply code for 16–30 days (CPT 99454).

📰 Quick Bytes - What We're Tracking

Healthcare Dive - House passes bill extending hospital at home waivers for five years

Congress has advanced a major win for virtual care: the House passed a bill extending Hospital-at-Home waivers through 2030, giving hospitals long-term stability to deliver inpatient-level care at home. The extension supports a growing shift toward remote monitoring, telehealth, and connected care models - signaling continued federal momentum behind home-based acute care.

Linked here.

Fierce Healthcare - UnitedHealthcare rolls back remote monitoring coverage for most chronic conditions

UnitedHealthcare is dramatically narrowing coverage for remote patient monitoring (RPM), saying that from Jan 1, 2026 it will only pay for RPM for patients with chronic heart failure or hypertensive disorders during pregnancy. That means coverage for common uses - like diabetes, hypertension, COPD and other chronic illnesses - will be dropped. Critics argue this move ignores clinical evidence of RPM’s benefits - including reduced hospitalizations and long-term cost savings - and may violate requirements that Medicare Advantage plans cover the same services as traditional Medicare.

Read the article - here. 

HealthcareIT News - Medicare telehealth flexibilities extended with federal government reopening

Medicare’s telehealth flexibilities have been extended through January 30, 2026, following the federal government’s reopening. This restores key pandemic-era virtual-care policies that briefly lapsed during the shutdown. While the extension is welcomed, providers note the need for long-term certainty and clearer guidance on reimbursement for visits that occurred during the lapse. Explore what changed - here. 

KevinMD - Is it time for the VA to embrace virtual care?

Our CEO’s KevinMD article outlines how the VA can scale its remote monitoring program from about 70,000 veterans to more than 2 million by embracing connected, virtual-first care. The message is clear: to serve more veterans, the VA must modernize care with intelligent, low-touch, scalable virtual-care technology.

Read the article, here. 

IEEE Systems Council - Interview with Kent Dicks

Kent recently joined Stephen Ibaraki for an in-depth interview with the IEEE Systems Council, where he discusses the evolution of connected health, scaling virtual-first care models, and Life365’s mission to improve access for underserved and rural populations. The conversation highlights the future of RPM, partnerships with health systems, and how technology is reshaping care delivery.

Watch the interview, here. 

Life365 CEO Kent Dicks traveled to Washington, D.C. in November to meet with federal representatives about expanding access to virtual care - particularly for Veterans and those living in rural and underserved communities.

One of the highlights was his meeting with David Schweikert, U.S. Representative for Arizona’s 1st congressional district and a strong proponent of telehealth and virtual care - including co-sponsoring the CONNECT for Health Act (H.R. 4206) to improve access to care in rural areas and ensure telehealth remains a viable option. Bill text: Connect for Health Act 

Kent also met with Adelita Grijalva, U.S. Representative for Arizona’s 7th congressional district, to discuss the opportunity for modern virtual-care models to support Veterans, address access challenges, and reduce dependence on outdated legacy systems.

Advocating for better access to care - especially for Veterans and those in rural communities - is core to Life365’s mission, and these conversations in DC were an important step in moving that work forward.

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Remote Patient Monitoring?

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