Health Care Organization
New CMS Waivers Eliminate ‘All Barriers’ to Telehealth in Skilled Nursing Facilities
By Alex Spanko | March 31, 2020 As part of a sweeping set of waivers announced late Monday, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) expanded its efforts to cut restrictions on telehealth — essentially removing any last roadblock that providers would face to offering virtual interventions at nursing homes. By allowing providers to perform initial and discharge […]
As Coronavirus Concerns Grow, Skilled Nursing Facilities Find Relief in Telehealth — But Gaps Remain
With concerns around staffing and supply shortages in nursing homes amid the coronavirus, telemedicine has emerged as a key potential weapon, receiving the first-ever major green light for reimbursement on the national level — as part of an $8.3 billion bill allowing the federal government to cover remote care for Medicare recipients passed last Wednesday. But the […]
Guidance for Infection Control and Prevention Concerning Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) by Hospice Agencies
TitleGuidance for Infection Control and Prevention Concerning Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) by Hospice AgenciesMemo #QSO-20-16-HospicePosting Date2020-03-09Fiscal Year2020SummaryCMS is committed to protecting American patients by ensuring health care facilities have up-to-date information to adequately respond to COVID-19 concerns. • Coordination with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and local public health departments – We […]
CMS Issues COVID-19 Prevention Guidance for Hospices
The U.S. Centers for Health & Human Services (CMS) has issued guidelines for protecting health care workers who operate in the home and community from COVID-19, including hospice providers. The CMS materials contain guidance for screening for and treatment of the virus in addition to when patients should be transitioned to higher acuity care. The agency recommended […]
Guidance for Infection Control and Prevention Concerning Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) in Home Health Agencies (HHAs)
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services 7500 Security Boulevard, Mail Stop C2-21-16 Baltimore, Maryland 21244-1850 Center for Clinical Standards and Quality/Quality, Safety & Oversight Group Ref: QSO-20-18-HHA DATE: March 10, 2020 TO: State Survey Agency Directors FROM: Director Quality, Safety & Oversight Group SUBJECT: Guidance for Infection Control and […]
CMS Issues Home Health COVID-19 Guidance, Eases Supplies Standards
After days of issuing updated guidance for skilled nursing operators and other Medicare providers regarding COVID-19, the U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is now turning its attention to home health agencies. CMS issued home health guidance related to infection control and prevention for COVID-19 — often referred to as the coronavirus — on […]
2020 Vision – Better Connectivity is Helping Health Care – aTouchAway Remote Patient Monitoring (RPM) Platform Experiencing Exponential Growth
A patient’s ‘circle of care’ can include relatives, friends, a spiritual adviser or the pharmacist, not just doctors, nurses, or telehealth clinicians. Technology is helping bring them all together. BRIGITTE PELLERINJanuary 3, 2020 A fresh decade means fresh ideas. Brigitte Pellerin talks to some of the local people who are innovating – some in small […]
Home health to pare down therapy services, up telehealth offerings
Alex Kacik Home health providers will look to significantly expand their telehealth offerings as they curtail their therapy services, according to a new survey. The number of home health agencies that use telehealth services like remote patient monitoring, virtual consultations and medication management technology will double over the next two years, according to Definitive Healthcare’s […]
Home health agencies expanding, rolling out more telehealth services
Author: Linda Wilson Dive Brief: Home health agencies are growing their businesses, with 43% of them planning to expand or add services in the next two years, according to a survey of the companies from Definitive Healthcare, which sells data on healthcare providers. Telehealth will see a jump as almost 28% of agencies plan to launch […]
2020 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule and Quality Payment Program – CMS Final Rule – CPT Codes 99453, 99454, and 99457 – Everything You Need to Know – 2020
CARE MANAGEMENT SERVICES CMS is taking steps to further refine the codes for transitional care management (TCM) and chronic care management (CCM). They have also created new codes for principal care management (PCM) services for patients that have only one serious condition. Transitional Care Management (TCM) CMS has finalized their proposal to allow for concurrent […]
California Enacts Telehealth Payment Parity, Boosts Asynchronous Care
California Governor Gavin Newsom recently signed several telehealth bills, making the state among a dozen to support payment parity, store-and-forward care and telemedicine abortions. By Eric Wicklund October 21, 2019 – A slew of telehealth bills signed this month by Governor Gavin Newsom positions California at the forefront of the connected health movement – including making the state […]
California Governor Signs New Telehealth Insurance Law
On October 11, 2019, California Governor Gavin Newsom signed a new law requiring commercial health insurance coverage and payment parity for telehealth services. The law will benefit patients by increasing access and availability to healthcare services, and catalyze the growth of telehealth technologies throughout California. California is representative of a growing national trend of states across the […]
6 Steps Home Care Providers Must Take to Succeed in Medicare Advantage
By Jack Silverstein | July 28, 2019 The recent rule changes to Medicare Advantage (MA) from Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services have created a level of flexibility and creativity for home care participation that is nearly unchecked. For example, the final call letter for MA plan year 2020 notes that “MA organizations have broad […]