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 […]
A bipartisan group of U.S. Senators have reintroduced the Creating Opportunities Now for Necessary and Effective Care Technologies (CONNECT) for Health Act of 2021. If enacted the bill would expand Medicare coverage of telehealth service and make permanent flexibilities for virtual services implemented on a temporary basis during the COVID-19 pandemic. Primary sponsors include Sens […]
The legislation, sponsored by 50 senators, would permanently remove geographic restrictions on telehealth sites and expand originating sites, among other provisions. By Kat Jercich April 30, 2021 09:06 AM A bipartisan group comprising half of U.S. senators has reintroduced the Creating Opportunities Now for Necessary and Effective Care Technologies (CONNECT) for Health Act of 2021. […]
The rapid growth and large-scale adoption of telehealth services over the past 18 months has allowed physicians to deliver a broad range of badly needed services to patients nationwide in an innovative, cost-effective manner. Now it’s time to cement that success by making permanent the temporary easing of restrictions that brought the full potential of […]
WASHINGTON, D.C. (May 25, 2021)—Recently, legislation has been introduced in both the Senate and House of Representatives that would make various improvements to the provision of telehealth. The Creating Opportunities Now for Necessary and Effective Care Technologies (CONNECT) for Health Act of 2021 (S. 1512/H.R. 2903) is being led by Sens. Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Roger […]
Meanwhile, Oregon becomes the latest state to enact its own telehealth legislation. By Kat Jercich June 15, 2021 02:55 PM U.S. senators this past week introduced another bill aimed at making telehealth flexibilities permanent under Medicare – including audio-only telehealth appointments. The Protecting Rural Telehealth Access Act is geared toward ensuring underserved community health providers are able […]
Long-term care stakeholders are looking forward to telehealth policies remaining a “very, very hot topic” in Congress during the COVID-19 public health emergency, and beyond. Service providers say they are optimistic lawmakers will act, but want to make sure they are properly reimbursed in the end. “We achieved incredible advances in telehealth with the PHE,” […]
A bipartisan group of 50 Senators, led by Senator Brian Schatz (D-HI), introduced the Creating Opportunities Now for Necessary and Effective Care Technologies (CONNECT) for Health Act of 2021, which builds on prior iterations of the bill with learnings from the COVID-19 pandemic. The bill attempts to address the post-pandemic Medicare telehealth landscape. While the federal […]
CONNECT for Health Act of 2021Senators Schatz (D-HI), Wicker (R-MS), Cardin (D-MD), Thune (R-SD), Warner (D-VA), & Hyde-Smith (R-MS)The CONNECT for Health Act of 2021 promotes higher quality of care, increased access to care, andreduced spending in Medicare through the expansion of telehealth services. Numerous studies on telehealth – the use of telecommunications technologies to […]
The CONNECT for Health Act is back before Congress for a 4th time, and backers say the massive telehealth bill could cross the finish line this time on broad bipartisan support and pressure to set long-term connected health policy. By Eric Wicklund April 30, 2021 – Will the fourth time be the charm for the CONNECT for Health […]
by: Theresa Flaherty – Friday, September 11, 2020 WASHINGTON – The Council for Quality Respiratory is throwing its support behind the CONNECT Act, a bill that would expand telehealth services for RTs, because it would also help to strengthen the referral process for oxygen therapy. “We hope our process of talking to folks in the administration and the House and Senate to support this act helps to get […]
With the last of the COVID-19 Telehealth Program awards handed out, the Federal Communications Commission is ready to review the $200 million program’s effectiveness and move on to the Connected Care Pilot. By Eric Wicklund July 10, 2020 – The Federal Communications Commission has drained its $200 million COVID-19 Telehealth Program. Wednesday’s announcement of the final 25 funding […]
The industry of telehealth is expanding for many reasons, including increased access to technology, a demand for more affordable health services and the desire for convenient care. Research findings projected a compound annual growth rate between 2014 and 2020 of 18.4% for telehealth services. Telehealth can reduce initial hospital admissions, readmissions, length of stay and mortality rates. By expanding telehealth services […]
Top mHealth trends in 2019 included remote patient monitoring, telehealth reimbursement, substance use disorder care, chronic disease management, and direct-to-consumer mHealth technology. By Samantha McGrail As 2019 comes to an end, healthcare organizations are reflecting on the trends and stories that most influenced their behaviors in the past year. Based on our most clicked stories […]