By Madeline Chaillet and Darby Sullivan Health care executives have long reported interest in telehealth, recognizing its potential to alleviate barriers to access, among other challenges, in rural communities. But in rural areas, organizations have been slow to adopt these new capabilities due to low reimbursement, lack of patient interest, and inadequate internet connectivity. However, amid the […]
Near the outset of the grueling war against Covid-19, President Donald Trump directed my agency, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), to recommend the postponement of non-emergency elective surgeries and procedures. The looming threat of a shortage of personal protective equipment and other supplies for health care workers in the face of a surge […]
Dive Brief: Senators on both sides of the aisle signaled their support for permanently removing restrictions to telehealth use at a hearing of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee on Wednesday. Chairman Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn., said top priorities were axing geographic restrictions and expanding Medicare and Medicaid reimbursement for virtual care services. However, […]
Originating site and expansion of CMS reimbursement receive greatest support; parity pay may face an uphill battle. Senators at Health Committee hearing expressed support for continuing certain telehealth policies. Of the 31 temporary federal policy changes, there seems to be the greatest interest in permanently changing the originating site rule and expansion of reimbursement to […]
Executive leaders from four rural health systems share solutions to the challenges their hospitals and health systems faced due to the coronavirus outbreak. A recent webinar by The Bipartisan Policy Center (BPC) “COVID-19 and Rural Hospital Struggles,” took a close look at how the COVID-19 pandemic has affected four rural health centers: Dartmouth-Hitchcock Health Care […]
A group of advocates has launched a taskforce that will develop recommendations on telehealth services to keep in place beyond the coronavirus pandemic, The Taskforce on Telehealth Policy will be convened by the American Telemedicine Association, National Committee for Quality Assurance and Alliance for Connected Care. It will hold its first meeting later this month […]
COVID-19 has challenged health care providers to change the way they offer services — from shifting to an increasingly remote workforce to diving into telehealth. These adjustments have privacy implications. The following are five of the most commonly overlooked steps that providers should take to remain compliant with applicable privacy laws. Complete a new HIPAA […]
Last week, new legislation was introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives that would require Medicare to reimburse certain telehealth services post the public health emergency period. If passed, the bipartisan Helping Ensure Access to Local TeleHealth Act of 2020 or HEALTH Act of 2020 (the “HEALTH Act of 2020”) would codify Medicare reimbursement and allow reimbursement […]
The response to COVID-19 has increased access to telehealth, and those changes may be here to stay. Read on for expected changes in waivers, coming data privacy and cybersecurity concerns, guidance for skilled nursing facilities, and more. CMS May Extend Telehealth Waivers The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is considering extending waivers on […]
The Order of Malta Clinic of Northern California is using a new telehealth platform to improve access and care for thousands of residents in and around Oakland – many of whom have no other access to care. By Eric Wicklund June 19, 2020 – A community health clinic in Oakland that offers free healthcare to underserved populations is […]
What a time to be alive. Despite this phrase being a personal favorite, I would guess that most of us think of these six-words—or some variation thereof—on a daily basis. At the beginning of this year, most Americans likely expected the presidential election to dominate the news cycle of 2020. Fast-forward a few short months, […]
Jen Singer became sick with an unidentified respiratory illness while visiting Seattle in February, before many knew enough to be worried about COVID-19. The fever and coughing delayed the 53-year-old’s trip back home to New Jersey. During an April telehealth visit, Singer didn’t have traditional COVID-19 symptoms. She felt abdominal fullness and had difficulty breathing […]
HealthDay)—If you have diabetes and live in rural America, the closest specialist may be hours away. But new research shows that effective help may be as close as your phone. The study found that a six-month telehealth program led to a significant drop in blood sugar levels. Participants had an average A1C level of 9.25% at […]
The COVID-19 pandemic has thrust upon the healthcare industry countless profound and likely permanent changes, not the least of which is in telehealth. Over the next several months, White and Williams will publish a series of articles that address how this rapid surge in telehealth and the related regulatory developments will impact liability and other […]
When the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic began to spread rapidly in the US in early March, nearly every institution across the country was given a Darwinian ultimatum: adapt, or get left behind. The medical field was no different. For many medical professionals, telemedicine was widely discussed theory of practice; its actual use was a more limited, […]