Like many people, I was introduced to telehealth during the pandemic. I met with my psychiatrist virtually, settling onto my couch instead of hers for our sessions. But those appointments required only a conversation. It made sense that psychotherapy easily made a switch to the online world. What’s more surprising is how often telehealth now […]
Critical Access Hospital is a designation given to eligible rural hospitals by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). Congress created the Critical Access Hospital (CAH) designation through the Balanced Budget Act of 1997 (Public Law 105-33) in response to over 400 rural hospital closures during the 1980s and early 1990s. Since its creation, […]
March 09, 2023 – The COVID-19 pandemic spurred telehealth use to new heights, with policy changes and flexibilities enacted at the state and federal levels supporting the rapid integration of telehealth into routine care delivery. But now, with the public health emergency ending on May 11, lawmakers are evaluating how telehealth policy needs to evolve to continue […]
09 March 2023 by Caroline Reignley (Washington, DC) , Deborah R. Godes (Washington, DC), Michael Ryan (Washington, DC), Dale Van Demark (New York), Marshall Jackson (Washington, DC) and Abby Higgins (London) A recent multijurisdictional contractor advisory committee (CAC) meeting held by six of the seven Medicare Administrative Contractors (MACs) gave stakeholders an initial opportunity to provide feedback on the strength of clinical evidence to support Medicare coverage […]
I. Introduction On January 30, 2023, the Biden Administration announced its plan to end the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency (PHE) on May 11, 2023. As discussed here, the PHE declarations have allowed the federal government to waive and modify certain Medicare, Medicaid, and Children’s Health Insurance program requirements and provide liability immunity to providers to administer services. With […]
A recent multijurisdictional contractor advisory committee (CAC) meeting held by six of the seven Medicare Administrative Contractors (MACs) gave stakeholders an initial opportunity to provide feedback on the strength of clinical evidence to support Medicare coverage for remote physiologic monitoring (RPM) and remote therapeutic monitoring (RTM) services for non-implantable medical devices. We previewed how this […]
Many physical therapy centers began providing telehealth at the start of the COVID- 19 public health emergency (PHE). In 2020, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) CMS added 11 new services to the list of telehealth services covered by Medicare during the COVID-19. The CY 2023 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (PFS) final rule […]
Feb 27, 2023 Based on current COVID-19 trends, the Department of Health and Human Services is planning for the federal Public Health Emergency for COVID-19 (PHE), declared under Section 319 of the Public Health Service Act, to expire at the end of the day on May 11, 2023. Thanks to the Administration’s whole-of-government approach to combatting […]
Jeff Lagasse, Associate Editor The American Hospital Association has come out in support of bipartisan legislation, introduced in the House of Representatives, that would require the Department of Health and Human Services, Medicare Payment Advisory Commission, and Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission to study expanded telehealth use during the COVID-19 pandemic and recommend potential enhancements to telehealth access and […]
As the COVID-19 pandemic continues across the United States, states, payers, and providers are looking for ways to expand access to telehealth services. Telehealth is an essential tool in ensuring patients are able to access the healthcare services they need in as safe a manner as possible. In order to provide our clients with quick […]
by David Collins, MHA, CPHQ, CPHIMS, FHIMSS, CLSSGB, Senior Manager Home and Community, VCU Health System | Richard Foor, CTO, Givens Communities | Dan O’Neil, CHCIO, MBA, VP, CIO, Care Dimensions In the wake of the pandemic, telehealth quickly became an integral part of care delivery by increasing access to care. This proved to be just […]
Noah Schwartz – Friday, February 24th, 2023 The American Hospital Association is backing legislation that would require the HHS, Medicare Payment Advisory Commission, Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission to study the expanded use of telehealth during the COVID-19 pandemic. The legislation, titled “Knowing the Efficiency and Efficacy of Permanent Telehealth Options Act,” is sponsored by a bipartisan […]
By Anuja Vaidya February 24, 2023 – The American Telemedicine Association and Alliance for Connected Care have expressed concerns regarding a Contractor Advisory Committee (CAC) Meeting on remote physiologic monitoring (RPM) and remote therapeutic monitoring (RTM) for non-implantable devices slated to take place on Feb. 28. The meeting, hosted by multiple Medicare Administrative Contractors (MACs), will seek advice on the […]
WASHINGTON – Today, the Drug Enforcement Administration announced proposed permanent rules for the prescribing of controlled medications via telemedicine, expanding patient access to critical therapies beyond the scheduled end of the COVID-19 public health emergency. The public will be able to comment for 30 days on the proposed rules. The proposed rules – developed with the U.S. […]