The final rule for the 2020 Physician Fee Schedule gives hospitals and health systems more opportunities to use remote patient monitoring and paves the way for new telehealth and mHealth programs. By Eric Wicklund November 05, 2019 – Hospitals and health systems will see Medicare reimbursement for more remote patient monitoring services, according to finalized guidelines […]
What’s the news: A bipartisan Senate bill unveiled last week would make it easier for patients enrolled in Medicare to receive telehealth services from physicians. Digital health that counts The AMA is spearheading initiatives that put physicians at the center of digital health innovation. See how you can get involved. The AMA is joining more […]
The Medicare Advantage boom for home care is almost here. Ever since the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) first expanded the scope of Medicare Advantage (MA) supplemental benefits in April 2018, at-home care providers have been trying to figure out they fit into a potentially new reimbursement puzzle. At least initially, it appeared […]
Until the 1990’s, patients with cancer requiring chemotherapy typically had to be admitted to the hospital to receive treatment. This inpatient care was stressful for patients and expensive. Since then, thanks to improvements in chemotherapy administration and symptom management, most treatment has moved from the inpatient setting to outpatient clinics, which prove more patient-centered and […]
(NAPSI)—If you’re enrolled in a Medicare Advantage plan, or are considering one, you will have more plan choices with a wider range of benefits to help you better manage your day-to-day health needs during this year’s open enrollment period. Medicare’s Annual Enrollment Period, which runs from Oct. 15 through Dec. 7, gives Medicare enrollees a […]
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) on Thursday finalized the Patient-Driven Groupings Model (PDGM) for 2020, in addition to its plan to phase out home health pre-payments and introduce a new home infusion therapy benefit. But perhaps the biggest news for U.S. home health providers is a major update to PDGM’s widely opposed […]
This week, a bipartisan group of U.S. senators introduced the long-awaited updated version of the CONNECT for Health Act, a bill that is likely to be the most comprehensive bipartisan telehealth reform package to be introduced in this Congress. Lawmakers will consider the bill amid a surge in telehealth popularity and vocal support for telehealth […]
Health systems across the country are developing telehealth strategies, both in rural and urban populations. Telehealth can refer to virtual visits and other consumer-facing digital interactions, or remote video consultations between two healthcare providers to share expertise. Patients desire telehealth access for a variety of reasons, but in many cases health systems are still trying […]
Telemetry is widely-used by hospitals and health systems as a means of providing continuous cardiac monitoring for designated patients. While internal development of these programs has been the norm, the ongoing management of these internal programs has absorbed significant resources for many hospitals and hospital systems. As a result, health care organizations are increasingly turning […]
Fifteen or 20 years ago, the idea that we all would one day carry around mini-computers through which we could access virtually all of recorded information — and use that same device to watch movies, listen to music or make a phone call — was incomprehensible. Look at us now: Our mobile devices changed everything. […]
Removing geographic barriers and improving rural access are among the goals of CONNECT for Health Act of 2019, which has bipartisan Senate and House support. Support for telehealth is breaking political barriers in the nation’s Capitol. In a bipartisan, bicameral initiative, legislation to expand telehealth services through Medicare was introduced yesterday, led by U.S. Sen. […]
by Chris McCann Oct 23, 2019 Hospital readmissions are an expensive problem in the U.S. both for providers and patients. According to a study by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, the average cost of hospital readmission in 2016 was $14,400 per person. In addition to the financial cost, readmissions further strain clinical resources. With an […]
California Governor Gavin Newsom recently signed several telehealth bills, making the state among a dozen to support payment parity, store-and-forward care and telemedicine abortions. By Eric Wicklund October 21, 2019 – A slew of telehealth bills signed this month by Governor Gavin Newsom positions California at the forefront of the connected health movement – including making the state […]
On October 11, 2019, California Governor Gavin Newsom signed a new law requiring commercial health insurance coverage and payment parity for telehealth services. The law will benefit patients by increasing access and availability to healthcare services, and catalyze the growth of telehealth technologies throughout California. California is representative of a growing national trend of states across the […]
