Telehealth providers have been lobbying for years to be able to break into the Medicare market, but this year they might actually succeed.

Reuters reports that four different bills could make the difference, removing barriers that kept telehealth from being reimbursed by Medicare for "doctors' and medical visits, which often start over the phone."

Charging across state lines and charging for medical consultations that don't happen in person have been barred for Medicare, which doesn't recognize the latter as being the equivalent of a visit to a doctor. More progress has been seen by the telehealth industry in advancing its cause with private insurers trying to cut down on health care cost; telehealth has been pointing out how much cheaper such "visits" can be when driven by apps and mass smartphone usage.