In certain circumstances, the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) using section 1135 of the Social Security Act (SSA) can temporarily modify or waive certain Medicare, Medicaid, CHIP, or HIPAA requirements, called 1135 waivers. There are different kinds of 1135 waivers, including Medicare blanket waivers. When there’s an emergency, sections 1135 or […]
The 2024 Physician Fee Schedule proposed rule (CMS-1784-P) — released July 13 by the US Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) — extends coverage of a variety of telehealth services at the non-facility reimbursement rate through Dec. 31, 2024, as mandated by Congress in the 2022 Consolidated Appropriations Act. The proposed rule also ensures that the […]
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 […]
Tuesday, June 6, 2023 Telehealth experienced massive growth during the COVID-19 pandemic, due in no small part to various regulatory and reimbursement policies that federal agencies implemented following a declaration by the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) in early 2020 that the COVID-19 pandemic was a public health emergency (PHE). Although the […]
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has clarified that outpatient therapists can continue to bill Medicare Part B for telehealth services across a range of facilities, including home health, as it did during the pandemic. The update represents a positive development for hospital-based therapists. As the end of the PHE loomed, it appeared that these […]
On May 10, 2023, HHS announced that many telehealth and teleprescribing flexibilities will remain in place after the end of the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency (PHE) on May 11, 2023. Congress extended many telehealth flexibilities under the Medicare program through December 31, 2024, via the 2023 Consolidated Appropriations Act. The Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) and […]
The big question for healthcare organizations that have expanded their telehealth services since the beginning of the pandemic has been what will happen when the public health emergency ends. This uncertainty is what’s known as the “telehealth cliff.” By authority granted under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services provided flexibility for […]
May 2, 2023 – The COVID-19 pandemic led to a significant increase in the use of telehealth services across the United States, a shift driven in part by the Public Health Emergency (PHE), allowing health care providers to offer telehealth services to a broader range of patients. On Jan. 30, 2023, the Biden administration announced […]
I. Introduction On January 30, 2023, the Biden Administration announced its plan to end the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency (PHE) on May 11, 2023. As discussed here, the PHE declarations have allowed the federal government to waive and modify certain Medicare, Medicaid, and Children’s Health Insurance program requirements and provide liability immunity to providers to administer services. With […]
30 January 2023 by Stacie Heller (New York) , Troy Barsky (Washington, DC), Jodi G. Daniel (Washington, DC) and Allison Kwon (New York) Crowell & Moring Key Takeaways On December 29, President Joe Biden signed into law the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023 (P.L. 117-164) (the “Act”)—an approximately $1.7 trillion spending package, which consists of all 12 fiscal year (FY) 2023 appropriations bills and […]
Friday, January 6, 2023 Introduction On December 29, 2022, President Biden signed the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023 (the “Act”). The Act provides for nearly $1.7 trillion in funding across a range of domestic initiatives, including certain appropriations to healthcare and related programs. In addition to funding, the Act modifies certain telehealth provisions, expands and extends components […]
Dear CTeL Members, This morning, Congressional leadership released text of the Fiscal Year 2023 (FY23) Consolidated Appropriations Act (CAA). This legislation includes more than $1.7 trillion in discretionary resources to fund various aspects of our federal government, including a 2-year extension of the telehealth waivers we have benefited from during the federal public health emergency. […]