Dive Brief: Members of the congressional advisory group Medicare Payment Advisory Commission agree telehealth is here to stay, but are concerned about how to improve access without also running up substantial costs in the Medicare program. The group weighed various Medicare telehealth payment policies that could become permanent after the COVID-19 public health emergency ends […]
Federal health officials released a proposed rule late Monday that sets 2021 Medicare payment rates for physicians and includes changes to the Merit-based Incentive Payment System. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services released the draft of its proposed annual Physician Fee Schedule and Quality Payment Program rule (PDF), which updates the payment rates for physician services. As previously promised by Centers […]
Among the changes announced this week include the expanded use of telehealth in Medicare, giving payment parity to hospital outpatient surgery centers, simplifying evaluation and management codes, and changing performance measures for accountable care organizations (ACOs). Among a swath of proposed policy and payment changes announced this week by the Trump administration, CMS continued its […]
On August, 3 2020, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued a proposed rule that announces and solicits public comments on proposed policy changes for Medicare payments under the Physician Fee Schedule (PFS), and other Medicare Part B issues, on or after January 1, 2021. The calendar year (CY) 2021 PFS proposed rule is one […]
Physician Fee Schedule Proposed Rule would make permanent certain telehealth and workforce flexibilities provided during the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency and improve healthcare for Americans in Rural Areas The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is proposing changes to expand telehealth permanently, consistent with the Executive Order on Improving Rural and Telehealth Access that […]
On August 3, 2020, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) issued a number of clarifications and proposals on remote patient monitoring (RPM) services reimbursed under the Medicare program. The changes, part of the advance copy of CMS’ proposed 2021 Physician Fee Schedule, are intended to clarify CMS’ position on how it reads and interprets […]
There’s nothing more frustrating than rendering a service and not being paid. Nuanced coding rules are difficult to understand, and physicians aren’t taught this information in medical school. Still, health care is a business. As business owners, physicians need to know how they’re paid, including what codes to use, what modifiers to append and what […]
On August 3, 2020, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) issued the advance copy of its proposed 2021 Physician Fee Schedule rule, which contains new telehealth services covered under Medicare. Compared to last year, where CMS made only minor additions to telehealth services, the changes proposed for 2021 are bold and designed to more deliberately expand […]
On August, 3 2020, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued a proposed rule that announces and solicits public comments on proposed policy changes for Medicare payments under the Physician Fee Schedule (PFS), and other Medicare Part B issues, on or after January 1, 2021. The calendar year (CY) 2021 PFS proposed rule is one […]
On August 3, 2020, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued the Calendar Year (CY) 2021 Physician Fee Schedule (PFS) proposed rule, which proposes to revise certain MDPP policies during the remainder of the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency (PHE) and any future applicable 1135 waiver event. We are proposing that we would determine […]
Alongside President Trump’s call for more rural telehealth coverage, CMS’ proposed 2021 Physician Fee Schedule could keep the momentum going for connected health. But is it enough? August 06, 2020 – The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has come out with its long-anticipated plans to expand telehealth coverage beyond the coronavirus pandemic. An advance copy of the […]
Lots of industry groups want to see the temporary government waivers enacted early on during the COVID-19 public health emergency – the ones enabling the vast expansion of telehealth and remote patient monitoring over the past four months – to be made permanent once the storm has subsided. And some legislators do too. But many, […]
Remote Patient Monitoring (RPM) is real-time or near real-time evaluation of a patient’s clinical status outside of a traditional healthcare setting. RPM leverages wireless devices (e.g., weight scale, blood pressure monitor), often integrated with a software platform, to monitor patients’ health status. Providers can use RPM to manage patients with a range of chronic conditions […]
Members of the American Medical Association (AMA) want to keep the momentum telehealth gained during the COVID-19 pandemic going now that many patients have begun to rely on it. “We have moved forward a decade in the use of telemedicine in this country and it’s going to become, and will remain, an increasingly important part […]
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has provided some guidance within the “Medicare and Medicaid Programs Policy and Regulatory Revisions in Response to the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency” interim final rule (IFR), allowing for remote patient monitoring, or RPM. This type of patient care is very helpful for ongoing treatment during the COVID-19 […]