The U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has extended a COVID-19 pandemic-era waiver that will allow home- and community-based service (HCBS) providers to take advantage of flexibilities in their state programs. The Appendix K waiver allowed HCBS providers more wiggle room during emergencies, such as the COVID-19 pandemic. CMS introduced the waiver to […]
2023: New Federal Developments There were no new federal developments in the last month. 2023: New State-Level Developments State Activity Illinois Illinois passed S.B. 1913, which requires Medicaid FFS and Medicaid managed care plans to provide coverage of mental health services, substance use disorder treatment, and ‘behavioral telehealth services’. Requires Medicaid FFS and Medicaid managed care plans […]
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued a final rule Monday that updates Medicare payment policies and rates for skilled nursing facilities under the Skilled Nursing Facility Prospective Payment System for fiscal year 2024. The federal agency estimates that the aggregate impact of the payment policies in the latest rule would result in […]
At a Glance The annual Medicare physician payment rule is upon us, proposed July 13, 2023, for calendar year (CY) 2024 and open for public comment through September 11. Each year, the couple-of-thousand-page rule makes modifications to how Medicare pays physician and nonphysician providers for their services, including for telehealth services. In recent years, the physician […]
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has released the calendar year (CY) 2024 Revisions to Payment Policies Under the Physician Fee Schedule (MPFS) and Other Revisions to Medicare Part B (CMS-1784-P) Proposed Rule, which includes proposals related to Medicare physician payment and the Quality Payment Program (QPP). The Proposed Rule, released on July […]
CMS recently released the CY 2024 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (MPFS) Proposed Rule (Proposed Rule), which included many noteworthy proposals and clarifications related to Medicare telehealth services and other remote services. Since the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency (PHE) terminated on May 11, 2023, providers and practitioners have sought clarity on the end dates of various waivers and […]
Over the past several years, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has expanded payment for care management and remote monitoring services in an effort to recognize and pay for non-face-to-face services that improve care coordination for Medicare beneficiaries. In connection with the calendar year 2024 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (MPFS) proposed rule, CMS […]
CMS proposed changes to the physician fee schedule that would provide physicians with additional compensation to account for balancing telehealth visits with maintaining their physical offices, Politico reported July 17. The proposal would increase the payment rates of healthcare providers for the virtual care they offer Medicare patients remotely. The additional compensation for telehealth services will be […]
On July 13, 2023, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released the Calendar Year (CY) 2024 Revisions to Payment Policies Under the Physician Fee Schedule (PFS) and Other Revisions to Medicare Part B [CMS-1784-P] Proposed Rule, which includes proposals related to Medicare physician payment and the Quality Payment Program (QPP). Physicians and other […]
On July 13, 2023, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released the Calendar Year (CY) 2024 Revisions to Payment Policies Under the Physician Fee Schedule (PFS) and Other Revisions to Medicare Part B [CMS-1784-P] Proposed Rule, which includes proposals related to Medicare physician payment and the Quality Payment Program (QPP). Physicians and other […]
Industry reactions have been very mixed to the announcement by the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) of the agency’s proposed physician fee schedule, with many national provider associations blasting the proposed fee schedule, while praising the extension of payment parity for telehealth-delivered patient care. The agency’s announcement was posted to its website on […]
The U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has released the proposed 2024 Medicare Part B Physician Fee Schedule, and, as always, it’s a mixed bag of good and not-so-good news. Unfortunately, as in previous years, payment cuts are a part of the proposal. This time around, however, other upsides are more prevalent than they’ve been […]
Dive Brief: Dive Insight: The development of remote patient-monitoring devices and other connected medical technologies has made it possible to treat more patients at home. In theory, home care can help reduce costs and risks associated with spending time in healthcare facilities and lessen burdens on patients. The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated uptake and validation of telehealth […]
Tuesday, June 27, 2023 Trending in Telehealth is a new series from the McDermott digital health team in which we highlight state legislative and regulatory developments that impact the healthcare providers, telehealth and digital health companies, pharmacists, and technology companies that deliver and facilitate the delivery of virtual care. Trending in the past week: A CLOSER […]
The 2023 Physician Fee Schedule final rule (“Final Rule”), which became effective in January 2023, lists the services and rates for which Medicare will reimburse providers. The Final Rule sets forth updates regarding several of Center for Medicare and Medicaid Service (CMS) key provisions relating to the delivery and reimbursement of Remote Therapeutic Monitoring (RTM), most notably […]