American Rescue Plan Act of 2021: SummaryThe U.S. House of Representatives on March 10, 2021, passed the Senate-amended H.R. 1319, theAmerican Rescue Plan (ARP). The ARP provides $1.9 trillion in additional relief to respond to the novelcoronavirus (COVID-19). This follows the enactment of nearly $4 trillion in COVID relief in 2020. PresidentJoe Biden called for […]
Editor’s Note: In a new report for the California Health Care Foundation, summarized below, Manatt Health discusses the impact of key legal changes that supported the delivery of community behavioral health services in California during the early months of the COVID‑19 pandemic. In addition, the report identifies opportunities for long-term policy reform. Although focused primarily […]
Introduction to the Quality Outlook: Cancer and COVID-19 – Looking Ahead to Telehealth Post-Pandemic Mini-Series Tom Valuck, MD, JD—Blog Editor The pandemic has dramatically impacted cancer care, leading to a reduction in preventive care, alterations and delays in treatment, and suspension of some clinical trials. Certain cancers, including lung cancer and leukemia and lymphomas, have ranked among the top […]
The report by Foley & Lardner found that 43 states and D.C. have implemented a version of a state telehealth commercial payer law – although payment parity policies lag behind. By Kat Jercich February 09, 2021 02:42 PM A report released Tuesday by Foley & Lardner LLP found that the COVID-19 pandemic compelled state and […]
Several states passed recent laws that would require commercial insurance plans to cover more telehealth services on a permanent basis. More states now require health plans to pay the same amount for telehealth as in-person visits. By ELISE REUTER / Feb 9, 2021 at 4:40 PM As emergency measures have greatly expanded patients’ access to virtual care […]
A bill introduced last month in Florida would give the state’s Medicaid program the option to provide coverage for asynchronous (store-and-forward) telehealth services and remote patient monitoring programs. By Eric Wicklund February 09, 2021 – Florida lawmakers are considering legislation that allow Medicaid coverage for asynchronous (store-and-forward) telehealth and remote patient monitoring services. S.852, filed last month by […]
The COVID-19 pandemic transformed telehealth by creating a sudden imperative for remote delivery of medical care to the benefit of patients and providers alike. That transformation has catapulted telehealth and its many benefits to the forefront of mainstream medicine. The challenge now: Make those benefits permanent and expand them further to improve value in care […]
February 7, 2021 – Federal Communications Commission Acting Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel on Tuesday made a visit to Children’s National Hospital, and a virtual visit to the University of Virginia, to emphasize the agency’s goals of investing in telehealth strategies, with a specific emphasis on serving marginalized communities, veterans, and low-income patients. Rosenworcel acknowledged that more needs to […]
AMGA president and CEO calls on Congress to act on several of the organization’s priorities, including coronavirus vaccination and promotion of telemedicine. KEY TAKEAWAYS In 2021, Congress should provide $100 billion in pandemic relief to healthcare providers, AMGA President and CEO Jerry Penso says. Congress should extend the moratorium on Medicare sequestration cuts through the […]
As we’ve discussed in previous posts, since the beginning of the pandemic, telehealth providers have seen a dramatic increase in demand for their services along with a number of temporary regulatory measures aimed at expanding telehealth access to more patient populations. Most of these measures, on the federal and state level, are tied to the […]
Bipartisan legislation introduced by U.S. Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) aims to protect older Americans living in nursing homes from risking exposure to the coronavirus by increasing their access to remote healthcare. “The coronavirus pandemic has highlighted the need for better connectivity across rural America,” said Sen. Capito, and it “has put rigid restrictions on […]
Remote healthcare has taken big leaps forward over the past year, spurred on equally by new technologies and the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. The biggest winners: senior patients, who are now able to benefit from more proactive care and avoid trips to the doctor’s office, clinic or emergency room. They can now use solutions […]
US Rep. Ted Budd and Senator Ted Cruz have reintroduced a bill that would allow healthcare providers to use telehealth to treat anyone in any state for up to six months after the pandemic. By Eric Wicklund February 04, 2021 – A bill has been resubmitted that would allow healthcare providers to use telehealth to treat patients in […]
The FCC released the agenda for its next Open Meeting, scheduled for February 17, 2021, which will be the first with Acting Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel at the helm. The FCC plans to kick off the meeting with three presentations detailing the Commission’s progress in implementing programs designed to support broadband access and deployment. First, the FCC […]
WASHINGTON, D.C. (WHSV) — West Virginia Senator Shelley Moore Capito and Minnesota Senator Amy Klobuchar have reintroduced legislation to enhance telehealth support for seniors and increase access to technology for “virtual visits” during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a press release from Senator Capito’s office. The press release says the Advancing Connectivity during the Coronavirus […]