Telemedicine might date back to the very first phone call ever placed. On March 10, 1876, Alexander Graham Bell voiced his now famous first words, “Mr. Watson, come here, I want you.” Watson would later circulate a rumor that Bell placed that first call for medical assistance after having spilled the phone’s battery acid on […]
By Tim Mullaney | July 12, 2018 The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is proposing to expand Medicare coverage for telehealth services and to make it easier for physicians to provide care through in-person home visits. The policy changes were floated in a proposed rule issued Thursday, regarding payment policies, rates and quality […]
The rule would mean the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services will pay doctors for telemedicine visits as well as evaluation of images and videos. By Jonah Comstock July 12, 2018 06:25 PM In a move that Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Administrator Seema Verma described as among “the most significant reductions in provider […]
Manatt on Health July 10, 2018 Introduction The use of telemedicine services is growing nationwide as providers and payors seek to improve access and better manage patient care, while reducing health care spending. State laws and Medicaid1 policies related to reimbursement, licensure and practice standards are rapidly evolving in response to the proliferation of technology […]
Are hospital readmissions penalties actually improving health outcomes? Posted by Brent Walker, SVP Marketing & Analytics on Jan 17, 2018 1:44:27 PM A decade ago, a study of hospitalizations of Medicare beneficiaries uncovered average readmission rates ranging from 18.4 percent to 27.5 percent, depending on condition. Enter the Medicare Hospital Readmission Reduction Program (HRRP), which penalizes hospitals […]
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services on Monday announced a proposed rule to allow home health agencies to be reimbursed—for the first time under Medicare—for remote patient monitoring. CMS made the rule proposal as part of a broader package of changes to the Home Health Prospective Payment System meant to empower patients, increase competition […]
Home health agencies may soon be able to include the costs associated with remote patient monitoring into Medicare reimbursement. Under a proposed payment rule (PDF) released by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) on Monday, home health providers would be able to include the costs of remote patient monitoring as an allowable cost in […]
By Virgil Dickson | July 2, 2018 The CMS is considering paying home health agencies for remote patient monitoring. Remote patient monitoring involves the use of digital tools to collect health data such as vital signs, weight, blood pressure, blood sugar, blood oxygen levels, heart rate, and electrocardiograms. “Today’s proposals would give doctors more time to […]
By Robert Holly | July 2, 2018 The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is proposing to overhaul the home health prospective payment system and continue the shift toward value-based care. Specifically, the agency is moving forward with the Patient-Driven Groupings Model (PDGM) and floating several other changes, as well as the annual update […]
[Billing Code: 4120-01-P] DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services 42 CFR Parts 409, 424, 484, 486, and 488 [CMS-1689-P] RIN 0938-AT29 Medicare and Medicaid Programs; CY 2019 Home Health Prospective Payment System Rate Update and CY 2020 Case-Mix Adjustment Methodology Refinements; Home Health Value-Based Purchasing Model; Home Health […]
Date 2018-07-02 Title CMS proposes calendar year 2019 and 2020 payment and policy changes for Home Health Agencies and Home Infusion Therapy Suppliers Contact press@cms.hhs.gov CMS proposes calendar year 2019 and 2020 payment and policy changes for Home Health Agencies and Home Infusion Therapy Suppliers On July 2, 2018, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid […]
On July 2, CMS proposed significant changes to the Home Health Prospective Payment System (PPS) to strengthen and modernize Medicare, drive value, and focus on individual patient needs rather than volume of care. Specifically, CMS is proposing changes to improve access to solutions via remote patient monitoring technology, and to update the payment model for […]
Earlier this year, President Trump signed into law the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018 (BBA), which incorporates provisions from the Creating High-Quality Results and Outcomes Necessary to Improve Chronic (CHRONIC) Care Act of 2017 and improves access to telehealth services in Medicare Advantage. Pub. L. No. 115-123. Among other provisions impacting Medicare Advantage Organizations (MAOs), […]
By Bruce Gosser Overburdened and inefficient. An accurate description of today’s US healthcare system which wasn’t designed to handle the current population’s health needs. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 68 percent of Americans aged 65 and older are living with multiple chronic conditions. With this expanding population of chronic […]
By Fred Bazzoli Published June 12 2018, 7:47am EDT Some 49 provider organizations, IT professional groups and vendors are urging the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to designate reimbursement codes that will enable reimbursement for remote monitoring services. Such a step would ensure payment for digital health services provided by hospitals and clinicians to […]