When the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic began to spread rapidly in the US in early March, nearly every institution across the country was given a Darwinian ultimatum: adapt, or get left behind. The medical field was no different. For many medical professionals, telemedicine was widely discussed theory of practice; its actual use was a more limited, […]
The COVID-19 public health emergency has forcefully opened the door for widespread adoption of telehealth, remote patient monitoring, and other digital health platforms by patients and providers alike. Using statutory authority to waive certain Medicare requirements during a time of national emergency, Congress and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) have implemented a […]
Last month, I had the immense honor of testifying before the U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging to take part in an important discussion on caring for America’s aging population in the midst of the current public health crisis. The COVID-19 pandemic has upended American life in nearly every possible way. And while it’s difficult to find […]
COVID-19 HAS HAD a devastating impact on our lives, our healthcare system, and our economy, but one silver lining has been the immediate and dramatic expansion of telehealth services. We’d be foolish not to seize this opportunity to ensure that telehealth access remains a part of routine medical care in the Commonwealth long after the pandemic is over. Teleheatlh […]
Last week, new legislation was introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives that would require Medicare to reimburse certain telehealth services post the public health emergency period. If passed, the bipartisan Helping Ensure Access to Local TeleHealth Act of 2020 or HEALTH Act of 2020 (the “HEALTH Act of 2020”) would codify Medicare reimbursement and allow […]
As a result of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, State Medicaid programs have expanded options for telehealth services. Rapid expansion of telehealth may pose challenges for State agencies and providers, including State oversight of these services. Our objective is to determine whether State agencies and providers complied with Federal and State requirements for telehealth […]
AHRQ has created a sample telehealth consent form (Word, 27 KB) that is easy to understand. The form includes language for healthcare providers that have curtailed in-person visits due to COVID-19. AHRQ has also created how-to guidance for clinicians on how to obtain informed consent for telehealth. Why should we use easy-to-understand telehealth consent forms? Some States do not […]
By KEN TERRY Telehealth has been a lifeline for many doctors and patients during the pandemic, and the decisions of CMS and many private payers to cover telehealth visits—in some cases, at full parity with in-person visits–has helped physician practices stave off bankruptcy. Assuming that these policies remain in effect after the pandemic, I agree with […]
By Kat Jercich During the opening keynote of the 2020 American Telemedicine Association conference, ATA CEO Ann Mond Johnson pointed to the transformative effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on telehealth. “This health emergency has launched telehealth” to new heights, Johnson said. Given the social distancing measures that necessitated a limitation on in-person care, “consumers realized telehealth […]
Monday, June 22, 2020 The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has issued more than 100 waivers giving healthcare providers the flexibility to meet the demands presented by the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. These waiver flexibilities are temporary, however. The authority to grant public health emergency-based waivers under §1135 of the Social Security Act is […]
With millions of people suddenly video chatting their doctors, there’s pressure on Washington to make telehealth a permanent option. By MOHANA RAVINDRANATH An explosion of virtual care during the pandemic is raising expectations that Washington will make sure Americans can continue video chatting with their doctors after the health crisis subsides. Telehealth had been inching ahead […]
The Senate is considering S. 3988, a bill that could help the federal government track, maintain and improve the country’s ability to provide health care through telehealth systems. One part of the proposed “Enhancing Preparedness through Telehealth Act” bill calls for the secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to report […]
For healthcare providers, telehealth is an opportunity to generate revenue and boost the quality of care when working with chronically ill patients, a chief transformation officer says. Telehealth visits can drive value for chronically ill patients. Telehealth visits are not only more convenient for chronically ill patients than in-person visits, they also are far less expensive than […]
As of Wednesday last week, senators of both parties have agreed to make permanent and widespread changes to the restrictions hampering telehealth’s growth. Given the current importance and growth of telehealth during these pandemic-stricken times, we are likely to see a huge and permanent increase in telehealth’s importance for years to come. The start of […]
By Alex Spanko | June 22, 2020 Early research into the impact of COVID-19 on seniors — both among the general population, and in nursing homes — has revealed endemic connections among race, income, and the likelihood of infection and death. Those patterns, reinforced by a new set of data probing COVID-19’s impact on Medicare beneficiaries, should prompt […]