A bill introduced this week would permanently extend Medicare coverage for telehealth services delivered by physical and occupational therapists, speech and language pathologists and audiologists. By Eric Wicklund November 18, 2020 – A group of lawmakers has introduced a bill that would ensure Medicare coverage for telehealth services provided by physical and occupational therapists, audiologists and speech and […]
THE CHALLENGES presented by COVID-19 have resulted in unprecedented changes to healthcare systems nationwide. Before the pandemic, only 1 percent of all physician visits in the US were conducted via telehealth. That number spiked to almost 50 percent in just the first month of the public health emergency, according to Medicare claims data. While telehealth usage […]
The American Telemedicine Association reflects on telehealth expansion during the Trump Administration and looks forward to progress under President-Elect Biden. By Hannah Nelson November 11, 2020 – In response to the results of the 2020 presidential election with America choosing former Vice President Joe Biden as its 46th president, the American Telemedicine Association (ATA) issued a statement calling for policymakers to expand […]
When a mysterious rash broke out on Missy Eckstein’s face and stomach, her first instinct was to head to the local urgent care facility to have someone diagnose and treat her. But the Massachusetts woman said that, in hindsight, she wished she had started with a telehealth appointment first. “I was given a wrong diagnosis,” […]
The COVID-19 pandemic sparked rapid growth in the use of telehealth, and what’s perhaps most surprising to seasoned experts on telemedicine is how smoothly the transition has fared for so many patients and physicians. “The one thing that we can all say we have achieved at this point is we brought the doctor’s office into […]
In the midst of the novel coronavirus pandemic, statistics are demonstrating that telemedicine services offer the potential to improve access to quality care while reducing strain on patients, family caregivers, nurses and physicians. A 2019 study from the American Telemedicine Association demonstrated that the quality of health care services delivered via telemedicine are as good […]
The eHealth Initiative has released a list of policy recommendations designed to improve telehealth adoption and coverage during and after the coronavirus pandemic. By Eric Wicklund October 09, 2020 – The eHealth Initiative has unveiled recommendations for federal policy changes to help expand telehealth access and coverage during and beyond the coronavirus pandemic. The 22-page report comes roughly a […]
This week, the comment period closed for the calendar year 2021 (CY21) Physician Fee Schedule (PFS) proposed by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). The PFS is an annual rule-making process through which CMS identifies codes and payment rates to be used to reimburse Medicare Part B physician services in the following calendar year. The […]
As the COVID-19 pandemic continues across the United States, states, payers, and providers are looking for ways to expand access to telehealth services. Telehealth is an essential tool in ensuring patients are able to access the healthcare services they need in as safe a manner as possible. In order to provide our clients with quick and […]
A familiar echo of “we should have done this earlier” surrounds processes that could have been implemented before the pandemic hit. Telehealth is a prime example. The American Telemedicine Association is taking advantage of its success during the crisis to make telehealth a permanent fixture in U.S. healthcare. House calls seem like a quaint relic […]
COVID-19 has forever changed the way our healthcare system thinks about and delivers care. It has brought about a paradigm shift, giving rise to digital health technologies such as virtual care and remote patient engagement which are essential – now more than ever. These innovative technologies, particularly telehealth and asynchronous communications platforms, offer a better […]
The American Telemedicine Association’s comments focused on expanding telehealth access, changes to remote monitoring services, and the provision of telehealth in federally qualified health centers and rural health clinics. By Kat Jercich September 25, 2020 02:02 PM The American Telemedicine Association was among several groups this week that submitted comments to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services […]
The American Telemedicine Association (ATA) issued a policy comment letter to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), advocating for telehealth-friendly changes to Medicare’s telehealth coverage and reimbursement rules. The ATA’s letter also made recommendations on CMS’ proposed interpretations on remote patient monitoring (RPM) requirements. The letter was submitted in response to CMS’ 2021 Physician Fee Schedule proposed rule. The ATA letter notes: […]
The American Telemedicine Association (ATA) issued a policy comment letter to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), advocating for telehealth-friendly changes to Medicare’s telehealth coverage and reimbursement rules. The ATA’s letter also made recommendations on CMS’ proposed interpretations on remote patient monitoring (RPM) requirements. The letter was submitted in response to CMS’ 2021 Physician Fee Schedule proposed rule. The ATA letter notes: […]
Jackie Drees – Wednesday, September 16th, 2020 The American Telemedicine Association, National Committee for Quality Assurance and Alliance for Connected Care’s national telehealth policy taskforce released recommendations this month for permanent virtual care expansion. The Taskforce on Telehealth Policy, which comprises healthcare leaders from 20 organizations including Oakland, Calif.-based Kaiser Permanente, Humana and Amwell, compiled the recommendations after analyzing more than […]