Digital health is the wave of the future in health care. We’ve heard many times that the COVID-19 pandemic brought telehealth greater popularity—but telehealth can’t do it all. While providers can “see” patients with a telehealth visit, they can’t check and monitor vital signs. The increased use of telehealth during the pandemic exposed some of […]
Several doctor groups are pressing the Biden administration to not just extend Medicare telehealth reimbursement flexibilities through 2023 but to be made permanent. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services proposed in the 2022 Physician Fee Schedule to extend telehealth flexibilities through 2023 instead of through the end of the COVID-19 public health emergency, which is expected […]
Several organizations have asked CMS to revise its proposed 2022 Physician Fee Schedule to permanently expand Medicare coverage for telehealth. By Eric Wicklund September 20, 2021 – Telehealth advocates are asking the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to amend the proposed 2022 Physician Fee Schedule to permanently extend emergency measures on telehealth access and coverage that were […]
What’s the news: There are some major health care issues the massive budget-reconciliation package that Congress is working on this month must not overlook. Most important, these two policy concepts deserve to be included in the final legislation: Medicare program sustainability and postponement of impending physician payment cuts set to take effect in January. Continued access to telehealth in order […]
On July 13, 2021, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) released an advance copy of the calendar year (CY) 2022 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (PFS) proposed payment rule, to be published on July 23, 2021. While the proposed rule introduces some new virtual care services (including Remote Therapeutic Monitoring), CMS rejected all requests to permanently […]
The National Association for Home Care and Hospice (NAHC) is issuing an urgent call to action, imploring members to lobby lawmakers on the recently introduced Choose Home legislation. “You’re not the only ones asking Congress to do things. This is why you have to be extraordinarily loud,” NAHC President William Dombi told members Sunday evening […]
On July 23, 2021, the Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services (“CMS”) released the CY 2022 Physician Fee Schedule Proposed Rule (“Proposed Rule”) which outlines several proposed changes to reimbursement of Medicare telehealth services. As a result of the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency (“PHE”), CMS instituted several waivers and flexibilities to allow increased access to […]
A mix of telehealth and personal visits can yield better results for patients than strictly in-person visits, according to a technology leader at Dallas-based home healthcare firm AccentCare. During a webinar Tuesday for the National Association for Home Care & Hospice, the company’s chief clinic innovation officer released findings from a telehealth study the company […]
A bipartisan Senate bill introduced in late July would increase Medicare beneficiaries’ access to home health after hospitalization. The Choose Home Care Act was introduced by Sens. Debbie Stabenow (D-Michigan) and Todd Young (R-Indiana), with Sens. Ben Cardin (D-Maryland), Bob Casey (D-Pennsylvanina), Susan Collins (R-Maine), Maggie Hassan (D-New Hampshire), and James Lankford (R-Ohio) signing on […]
A Montana Congressman has introduced a bill that would establish Medicare coverage for asynchronous (store-and-forward) telehealth services in all 50 states, expanding the possibilities for a platform that would improve rural access to care. By Eric Wicklund August 09, 2021 – A Montana Congressman wants to improve rural healthcare access by ensuring Medicare coverage for asynchronous (store-and-forward) telehealth […]
This video reviews the Proposed Physician Fee Schedule (PFS) for CY 2022 as it relates to telehealth.
While focusing on research to tackle cancer and other diseases, the massive Cures 2.0 bill unveiled last week includes provisions aimed at extending telehealth coverage and access beyond the pandemic. By Eric Wicklund June 28, 2021 – The next phase of the 21st Century Cures Act includes several measures to boost Medicare coverage for telehealth, through both new […]
The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 quickly led to rapid adoption of telehealth across all healthcare sectors, including hospice and palliative care. A year later, hospice and palliative clinicians continue to incorporate telehealth into their daily practices to help establish, implement and inform a plan of care for home-based, seriously ill patients and […]
Most pursued changes via administrative action, according to a new Commonwealth Fund report, which may not be a permanent solution after the COVID-19 public health emergency ends. By Kat Jercich June 24, 2021 03:01 PM The Commonwealth Fund released an issue brief this week reviewing state actions to expand individual and group health insurance coverage of telemedicine […]
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has proposed permanent Medicare coverage of audio-only mental health telehealth services. Currently, Medicare covers audio-only telehealth under temporary waivers that will expire when the Public Health Emergency (PHE) ends. The change, contained in the 2022 Physician Fee Schedule proposed rule, is intended to maintain patient access to mental […]