Patients have the digital health literacy and tools needed to implement telehealth for after-hours patient-provider communication. By Sara Heath October 28, 2020 – Patients are receptive to the idea of using telehealth for patient-provider communication outside of traditional office hours, with about one-fifth saying it would likely get them answers to their health-related questions more quickly, according to […]
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, CMS implemented a number of waivers and flexibilities that allowed Medicare beneficiaries to access a wider range of telehealth services without having to travel to a health care facility. This review will be based on Medicare Parts B and C data and will identify program integrity risks associated with […]
When the coronavirus pandemic hit the United States early this year, it sent shockwaves across our economy and pushed many of the nation’s public health systems to the brink. Frontline health care workers, hospitals and patients suddenly were forced to confront a silent, deadly, fast-moving virus with no known cure and no vaccine. For millions […]
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA), Maggie Hassan (D-NH), Todd Young (R-IN) and Tom Carper (D-DE) today introduced bipartisan legislation aimed at improving health care for expectant mothers. The Connected Maternal Online Monitoring Services (MOM) Act requires the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS) to provide coverage recommendations for remote devices to check blood […]
Healthcare lawyer Andrew Selesnick said one key will be to establish a stable, user-friendly platform that can make documentation seamless. By Kat Jercich October 27, 2020 10:58 AM The future potential of telehealth hinges on how it’s reimbursed. Virtual care may be popular among patients, but if providers can’t get paid for their services, it’s […]
COVID-19 has dramatically accelerated the adoption of digital health, and a new analysis from Deloitte finds that trend extends similarly to Medicare Advantage (MA) beneficiaries. Deloitte researchers surveyed executives at MA plans, as well as digital health companies, and found that through April 2020 more MA members used telehealth than did so in all of […]
A new study from the University of Georgia has investigated the reasons why stroke patients treated in rural hospitals have more negative outcomes and a higher risk of death. Using data from the 2016 National Inpatient Sample, the study specifically looked at stroke patients who sought treatment in rural hospitals. The researchers identified several factors they believe […]
PACE, a Medicare-Medicaid program serving thousands of seniors in 31 states, used telehealth to keep that care going during the pandemic. That success could spur more programs to use connected health in the future. By Eric Wicklund October 27, 2020 – A CMS program that provides long-term care for seniors in need of support services used telehealth to […]
The bipartisan Home Health Emergency Access to Telehealth (HEAT) Act, introduced by Sens. Susan Collins (R-ME) and Ben Cardin (D-MD), if passed, would provide Medicare reimbursement for audio and video telehealth services furnished by home health agencies during the COVID-19 emergency and future public health emergencies. Companion legislation also was introduced in the House of Representatives. “The […]
As payer and provider organizations look to improve health outcomes around the far-reaching impacts of the pandemic, they must consider the unique needs of some of our most vulnerable populations, such as new and expecting mothers and their infants. As a byproduct of the COVID-19 pandemic, the healthcare industry is faced with a formidable challenge—how […]
Is this “new normal” a false reality? As we are now well into October, many months into COVID-19, I think we all have to look at what all the associated changes are going to mean for healthcare. I have been seeing so many telehealth advocates saying “the genie is out of the bottle” and related […]
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has further expanded the list of telehealth services that Medicare Fee-For-Service will pay for during the COVID-19 public health emergency (PHE) as of October 14, 2020. CMS is adding 11 new services to the Medicare telehealth services list and will begin paying eligible practitioners who furnish these services […]
In healthcare technology, throughout the first 10 months of 2020, there’s been little discussed as much as telehealth and telemedicine topics. The reasons for such are obvious given COVID-19. The volume of coverage the topic received is more than nearly any other time in recent history. According to Google Trends, since 2008, telehealth hasn’t received as […]
Bills introduced in both the Senate and House last week call for Medicare coverage for home health care services provided via telehealth during a public health emergency. By Eric Wicklund October 26, 2020 – A new bill before Congress aims to improve Medicare coverage for home health services delivered via telehealth during a public health emergency. The Home […]
Telehealth growth has sped up during the pandemic, but whether it continues long-term is a point of debate among hospital and health system CIOs. The fate of telehealth rests on several factors, including CMS and commercial payers permanently extending payment benefits for telehealth and virtual care services. “CMS keeps kicking the can down the road, […]