The use of telehealth has exploded during the COVID-19 pandemic, but critical issues related to health inequity, state medical licensure requirements, regulation and payment must be addressed for this mode of care to continue to flourish beyond the public health emergency. The AMA House of Delegates (HOD) took several actions with the aim of doing just that. […]
After a year of change, how will homecare adapt online? by Hannah Wolfson Tuesday, June 1st, 2021 In the earliest days of the emerging COVID-19 pandemic—in a news story published on March 16, 2020, to be exact—we reported that homecare companies were facing a new problem: denials of service. Patients and customers were increasingly refusing […]
Lori Prestesater shares three key factors that should be taken into consideration if healthcare providers are to continue along their trajectory towards being truly digitally driven Digitally delivered healthcare saw significant changes during the pandemic – but are these innovations here to stay? Telehealth can be more efficient, give patients more control over their care and, […]
At the same time, a new report finds, stakeholders should not ignore the limitations of current virtual care models. By Kat Jercich May 27, 2021 10:43 AM A study published this month in JMIR Human Factors from Syracuse University researchers found that physicians are in favor of expanding telehealth permanently. However, many docs also voiced concerns […]
Many patients remain skeptical of remote patient monitoring devices, which have seen a heavy uptake due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The Covid-19 pandemic forced a shift away from the majority of in-person physician visits in order to minimise the risk of spreading Covid-19. A recent GlobalData poll found that this experience may have accelerated the […]
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) released the 2022 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (PFS) and Quality Payment Program (QPP) proposed rule on July 13. This rule includes updates to payment rates for physicians and other health care professionals, expands the use of telehealth, clarifies evaluation and management (E/M) policies, proposes policies for the 2022 […]
Public and private providers are keen on expanding their home health programs after seeing how well it worked during the pandemic. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has issued a proposed home health rule aimed at accelerating the shift to value by expanding the Home Health Value-Based Purchasing Model nationwide. The CY2022 Home Health Prospective Payment System proposed rule provides payment […]
Alaska Senators Dan Sullivan and Lisa Murkowski last week introduced the Rural and Frontier Telehealth Expansion Act. The legislation aims to permanently expand access to telehealth beyond the COVID-19 pandemic. The Alaska senators were joined by Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), Jon Tester (D-Mont.), Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), and Ben Ray Lujan (D-N.M.) in introducing the bipartisan legislation. The […]
3 best practices you must implement to stay compliant and collect maximum reimbursement. The flourishing of telehealth in 2020 was driven not just by necessity, but also by a significant loosening of governmental regulations and of reimbursement requirements by payers. Waivers were granted during the public health emergency that allowed the use of traditionally noncompliant […]
The proposed 2022 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule, released on July 13 by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), includes expanded reimbursement for behavioral health services delivered by telehealth, including reimbursing providers for audio-only telephone calls. The proposed expansion would allow Medicare beneficiaries with mental health or substance abuse disorders to receive diagnosis, evaluation and […]
As COVID-19 case counts rose and sheltering in place became a public health mandate, telehealth use skyrocketed nationwide as previous regulatory restrictions were lifted and providers and patients found safe ways to access care. But despite the rapid uptake in telehealth nationally, prevailing inequities in internet and technology access still leave out too many populations […]
Provider groups are not happy with the payment adjustment included — a 3.75% reduction to the conversion factor due to budget neutrality requirements — and will likely seek congressional intervention. CMS is proposing to extend Medicare coverage of certain telehealth services granted for the COVID-19 public health emergency to the end of 2023 to help gather data […]
The proposal includes expanding Medicare coverage for telehealth services that address mental health and substance abuse issues and extending most COVID-19 freedoms until the end of 2023, as well as some coverage for FQHCs and RHCs. By Eric Wicklund July 14, 2021 – The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ proposed 2022 Physician Fee Schedule offers some good news for […]
3 best practices you must implement to stay compliant and collect maximum reimbursement. The flourishing of telehealth in 2020 was driven not just by necessity, but also by a significant loosening of governmental regulations and of reimbursement requirements by payers. Waivers were granted during the public health emergency that allowed the use of traditionally noncompliant […]
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has proposed a new category of digital health services—Remote Therapeutic Monitoring (RTM)—to complement the existing suite of Remote Physiological Monitoring (RPM) codes covered under Medicare. The new codes, part of the proposed 2022 Physician Fee Schedule, are intended to expand the scope and reach of digital health technologies […]