A cancer diagnosis changes everything. First, you receive this earth-shattering news and then, you enter the maze of cancer care, with countless visits to specialists and other health care providers to discuss which treatment options are appropriate for you. Fortunately, there are options, thanks to scientific research and clinical trials. But no matter where you […]
Over the last decade, few issues in politics have been more polarizing than healthcare. It’s driven a deep wedge between Democrats and Republicans, particularly following the passage of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and the subsequent efforts to repeal it, and has caused rifts within those parties. Yet despite all the animosity, there is one […]
As the federal government, via Medicare/Medicaid, and insurance companies strive to keep “heads out of beds” (e.g., patients managed into an outpatient setting [your doctor’s office] vs. inpatient/hospital settings), the need for more clinicians and better access to care grows unabated. In an effort to manage both increased demand (e.g., access) by patients and patients […]
The American Medical Association is adding several new codes to its 2020 CPT code set to support remote patient monitoring and telehealth services. By Eric Wicklund September 09, 2019 – Remote patient monitoring and telehealth play prominently in the 2020 CPT codes unveiled this month by the American Medical Association. Among the 248 new codes added […]
Remote patient monitoring keeps healthcare providers informed about their patients’ health between visits, and can warn them if something changes that needs immediate attention. Reda Chouffani Biz Technology Solutions Published: 19 Aug 2019 Remote patient monitoring allows providers to stay updated about their patients’ health outside of the four walls of a hospital. Being able […]
As part of its efforts to provide patient-centered care and reduce costs for Medicare beneficiaries, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS) have developed an Innovation Center model for ambulance care teams: Emergency Triage, Treat, and Transport (ET3). As part of this model, the agency has proposed two potential telehealth offerings: 1) An individual who […]
A bill introduced in April seeks to expand telehealth services offered by the nation’s 4,300 rural health clinics by enabling them to be qualified through Medicare as distant site providers. By Eric Wicklund May 15, 2019 – Congress is considering a bill that would enable rural health clinics to support – and be reimbursed for – […]
Monday, May 13, 2019 Citing the use of telehealth as a care delivery option for Medicare Advantage (MA or Part C) enrollees with the potential to “improve access to and timeliness of needed care, increase convenience for patients, increase communication between providers and patients, enhance care coordination, improve quality and reduce costs related to in-person […]
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (“CMS”) has published a final rule that will expand access to telehealth services for Medicare Advantage (“MA”) plan enrollees.[1]CMS Administrator Seema Verma characterized the agency’s latest policymaking efforts as “a historic step in bringing innovative technology to Medicare beneficiaries” and a way for the agency to provide “greater flexibility to Medicare Advantage […]
Contract Year 2020 Medicare Advantage and Part D Flexibility Final Rule (CMS-4185-F) On April 5, 2019, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued a final rule that updates the Medicare Advantage (MA or Part C) and Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit (Part D) programs by promoting innovative plan designs, improved quality, and choices for […]
The federal government released a breakdown of strategies that accountable care organizations (ACOs) have used to successfully partner with skilled nursing facilities — a move that could indicate policymakers’ continued support of the care models. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) recently released a care coordination toolkit for ACOs that drew from focus […]
The rule updates give Medicare Advantage plans the flexibility to offer telehealth as a covered benefit, boosting patient care access. By Sara Heath April 09, 2019 – CMS has finalized updates that would introduce telehealth as a covered benefit in Medicare Advantage plans, which will ideally improve patient care access. This move comes as a part […]
On Friday, April 5, 2019, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (“CMS”) announced that it had finalized policies allowing Medicare Advantage plans (“MA Plans”) to include additional telehealth benefits in their basic benefit packages starting in 2020. The final rule implementing the changes (the “Final Rule”) will be published in the Federal Register on April 16, […]