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CMS Releases 2022 Proposed Physician Fee Schedule and Quality Payment Program Rule

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) released the 2022 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (PFS) and Quality Payment Program (QPP) proposed rule on July 13. This rule includes updates to payment rates for physicians and other health care professionals, expands the use of telehealth, clarifies evaluation and management (E/M)...

July 22, 2021 Dr. A. Connor Accountable Care Organization (ACO), Medicare, Physician Fee Schedule, Telehealth.

Proposed Physician Fee Schedule Includes Expanded Telehealth Reimbursement

The proposed 2022 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule, released on July 13 by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), includes expanded reimbursement for behavioral health services delivered by telehealth, including reimbursing providers for audio-only telephone calls. The proposed expansion would allow Medicare beneficiaries with mental health or substance abuse...

July 21, 2021 Dr. A. Connor Medicare, Physician Fee Schedule, Reimbursement, Telehealth.

CMS proposes extension of Medicare telehealth coverage

Provider groups are not happy with the payment adjustment included — a 3.75% reduction to the conversion factor due to budget neutrality requirements — and will likely seek congressional intervention. CMS is proposing to extend Medicare coverage of certain telehealth services granted for the COVID-19 public health emergency to the end...

Dr. A. Connor Medicare, Physician Fee Schedule, Telehealth.

CMS Expands Telehealth Coverage in Proposed 2022 Physician Fee Schedule

The proposal includes expanding Medicare coverage for telehealth services that address mental health and substance abuse issues and extending most COVID-19 freedoms until the end of 2023, as well as some coverage for FQHCs and RHCs. By Eric Wicklund July 14, 2021 – The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ proposed 2022 Physician...

Dr. A. Connor Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC), Medicare, Physician Fee Schedule, Telehealth.

CMS Proposes New Remote Therapeutic Monitoring Codes: What You Need to Know

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has proposed a new category of digital health services—Remote Therapeutic Monitoring (RTM)—to complement the existing suite of Remote Physiological Monitoring (RPM) codes covered under Medicare. The new codes, part of the proposed 2022 Physician Fee Schedule, are intended to expand the scope...

July 20, 2021 Dr. A. Connor Medicare, Physician Fee Schedule, Remote Patient Monitoring, Telehealth.

Telehealth – Here to Stay (At Least for Now): CMS Considers Permanent Expansion of Telehealth Services in Proposed Rule

On July 13, 2021, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) published its annual proposed changes to the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule. Among the 1,747 pages of proposals, one notable standout is the announcement that CMS is considering permanently keeping the temporary additions to the list of approved telehealth services that was...

Dr. A. Connor Medicare, Physician Fee Schedule, Telehealth.

CMS proposes to cover mental health virtual visits through 2022

In the 1,747-page rule, which will be finalized later this year, CMS proposes expanding access to telehealth for behavioral healthcare, including for the first time allowing Medicare to pay for mental health virtual visits when they are provided by rural health clinics and federally qualified health centers and letting...

Dr. A. Connor Medicare, Physician Fee Schedule, Remote Patient Monitoring.

MedPAC Recommends Limiting Post-COVID-19 Telehealth Coverage, More Study

The Medicare Payment Advisory Commission is taking a cautious approach to long-term telehealth policy, telling lawmakers to extend COVID-19 telehealth freedoms for a few years before making any final decisions. By Eric Wicklund March 16, 2021 – The Medicare Payment Advisory Commission is taking a cautious approach to permanent telehealth policy, advising...

May 19, 2021 Dr. A. Connor COVID-19 - Coronavirus, Medicare, Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC), Physician Fee Schedule, Telehealth.

Connect for Health: What It Would and Wouldn’t Do for Telehealth Beyond the Pandemic

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...

May 18, 2021 Dr. A. Connor CONNECT Act, Legislation, Medicare, Physician Fee Schedule, Telehealth.

Recognizing and Testing Telehealth Models in Oncology Care First

Introduction to the Quality Outlook: Cancer and COVID-19 – Looking Ahead to Telehealth Post-Pandemic Mini-Series Tom Valuck, MD, JD—Blog Editor The pandemic has dramatically impacted cancer care, leading to a reduction in preventive care, alterations and delays in treatment, and suspension of some clinical trials. Certain cancers, including lung cancer and leukemia and...

March 15, 2021 Dr. A. Connor COVID-19 - Coronavirus, Medicare, Physician Fee Schedule, Telehealth.

How to Improve Patient Care with Remote Patient Monitoring Solutions

Remote healthcare has taken big leaps forward over the past year, spurred on equally by new technologies and the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. The biggest winners: senior patients, who are now able to benefit from more proactive care and avoid trips to the doctor’s office, clinic or emergency...

March 9, 2021 Dr. M Telehealth aTouchAway, Legislation, Physician Fee Schedule, Reimbursement, Remote Patient Monitoring, Telehealth, Telemedicine.

The Home health landrush: Getting ahead in a complex market

Few people question whether care delivery will continue to migrate out of the hospital into new settings such as the home. The better question is, what services – specifically – will migrate to the home, and what innovations are necessary to support these migrations? By ELLEN HERLACHER Post a comment / Jan...

March 2, 2021 Dr. A. Connor COVID-19 - Coronavirus, Medicaid, Medicare, Physician Fee Schedule, Telehealth.

OIG to Audit Telehealth Services Provided During Pandemic by Part B and Home Health Providers

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Office of Inspector General (OIG) recently updated its 2021 Work Plan in January to include audits of Medicare Part B and home health telehealth services by OIG’s Office of Audit Services (OAS). OAS conducts independent audits of HHS programs, HHS grantees, and contractors to examine their...

Dr. A. Connor Medicare, Medicare Advantage (MA), Physician Fee Schedule, Telehealth.

Will FCC’s Emergency Broadband Benefit Program Boost Telehealth?

A $3.2 billion program spun out of the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021 aims to help low-income and underserved communities gain access to broadband services – and make it easier to access telehealth. By Eric Wicklund January 29, 2021 – The Federal Communications Commission will hold a round-table discussion next month on...

February 15, 2021 Dr. A. Connor Connected Care, COVID-19 - Coronavirus, Federal Communications Commission (FCC), Medicare, Physician Fee Schedule, Telehealth.

Washington is Awash in New and Reintroduced Telehealth Bills

In advance of the next session of Congress, lawmakers are scrambling to file new bills or resubmit old bills that aim to expand telehealth access and coverage through and beyond the coronavirus pandemic. By Eric Wicklund January 29, 2021 – The telehealth bills are starting to pile up on Capitol Hill. At...

Dr. A. Connor CARES ACT, Legislation, Medicaid, Medicare, Physician Fee Schedule, Reimbursement, Rural Health Clinics, Telehealth.