By Maggie Flynn | September 10, 2018 Value-based arrangements generate much of their savings by shifting spending away from the post-acute setting, according to recent government announcements. That ups the already-high pressure on skilled nursing facilities to lower patient length of stay while maintaining quality of care. To cope, they’ll have to make themselves invaluable […]
The 2019 CPT code set includes new remote patient monitoring and internet consulting codes to encourage innovative care delivery and Medicare payment for connected health. September 07, 2018 – The American Medical Association (AMA) updated the Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) code set in 2019 to include new codes for connected health services in an effort to […]
Aug 27, 2018 Today, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released an evaluation report for the first performance year of the Innovation Center’s Next Generation Accountable Care Organization (ACO) Model showing promising early results. Results demonstrated the positive outcomes in terms of quality and costs when providers are responsible for managing to a […]
CMS has proposed three new codes for RPM services, retitled “Chronic Care Remote Physiologic Monitoring,” which do a far better job reflecting how providers can more effectively and efficiently use RPM technology to monitor and manage patient care needs, including chronic care management. If finalized, these three codes would go live January 1, 2019. CMS’ […]
The National Association of ACOs (NAACOS) argues that a rule proposed by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to overhaul the Medicare Shared Savings Program (MSSP) begun in 2012 under the Affordable Care Act would create havoc by “introducing many untested and troubling policies.” “The administration’s proposed changes to the ACO program will […]
In its proposal to overhaul the Medicare Shared Savings Program, CMS is planning to reimburse for more telehealth and telemedicine services as it looks to revamp the Accountable Care Organization model. By Eric Wicklund August 10, 2018 – A federal effort to revamp the rules around Accountable Care Organizations includes a few nods to telehealth and […]
On August 9, 2018, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued a proposed rule that would set a new direction for the Medicare Shared Savings Program (Shared Savings Program). Referred to as “Pathways to Success,” this proposed new direction for the Shared Savings Program would redesign the participation options available under the program to […]
Today, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued a proposed rule that would overhaul the Medicare Shared Savings Program, which is the program established by the Affordable Care Act and launched in 2012 under which the vast majority of Medicare’s Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs) operate. The redesigned program is called “Pathways to Success.” […]
Medicare Proposes (and Rejects) New Telehealth Services for 2019 Wednesday, August 8, 2018 The telemedicine industry was pleased to learn CMS recently proposed adding new services to its list of Medicare-covered telehealth services. But what may be more interesting are the services CMS declined to add, and why. This article summarizes the newly-proposed additions as well as the services […]
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has finalized a rule it says will improve interoperability, reduce the reporting burden under meaningful use, and allow healthcare providers to spend more time with their patients while saving hospitals and other medical facilities millions of dollars each year. CMS said the final rule, announced last Thursday, […]
Monday, July 30, 2018 Where Things Stood Understanding the impact of what we have seen so far this year first requires an understanding of where we were at the end of 2017, with respect to both Medicare reimbursement and provider adoption of telehealth solutions. Hospitals and health systems have long understood that digital health technologies […]
[pdf-embedder url=”https://mtelehealth.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/2019-Medicare-Physician-Fee-Schedule-and-Quality-Payment-Program-CMS-Proposed-Rule-CPT-Codes-990X0-990X1-and-994X9-2018-07-12.pdf” title=”2019 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule and Quality Payment Program – CMS Proposed Rule – CPT Codes 990X0, 990X1, and 994X9 – 2018-07-12″] CMS’ explanation for its bold, new proposal: “We now recognize that advances in communication technology have changed patients’ and practitioners’ expectations regarding the quantity and quality of information that can be […]
Digital health expert Nathaniel Lacktman breaks down CMS’ proposed 2019 Physician Fee Schedule and Quality Payment Program, examining how it should boost support for services like remote patient management and store-and-forward telehealth. By Eric Wicklund July 20, 2018 – Earlier this month, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services unveiled its proposed 2019 Medicare Physician Fee […]
by Evan Sweeney | Jul 16, 2018 2:10pm CMS estimated that reimbursing for virtual check-ins would reach an estimated 19 million visits per year. Telehealth advocates are rejoicing over last week’s physician payment proposal that would reimburse physicians for certain virtual interactions, a move that some see as a significant first step in overcoming the […]
Written by Julie Spitzer | July 17, 2018 | CMS made a series of suggestions to expand telehealth in its latest Medicare Physician Fee Schedule and Quality Payment Program, a 1,473-page proposal released July 12. Here are five telehealth changes CMS proposed: 1. Although CMS has bundled “routine non-face-to-face communication” into the cost of in-person visits, the […]