Organizations and experts offer insights and predictions about what lies ahead post-COVID-19. KEY TAKEAWAYS Legislation proposed by the House addresses the most urgent priorities to permanently extend telehealth waivers. Clinical appropriateness, payment, and fraud are among the topics that will be explored during the next phase of telehealth expansion. Incentives to invest in technology, licensure […]
Federally qualified health centers looking to expand their telehealth footprint need to take a closer look at why their patients are having problems accessing healthcare. Transportation issues, insurance availability, home life and school and work pressures all can play a part in whether someone can or can’t visit the doctor, said Christina Quinlan, director of […]
In response to the pandemic, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has issued waivers permitting reimbursement for telehealth visits, the waiver of certain copayments and relaxed technology requirements. As Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee Chairman Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn., recently stated, the health care sector and government “have been forced to cram 10 years’ worth […]
The COVID-19 pandemic has increased the risks for seniors who receive in-home elder care. Caregivers use masks, handwashing, and social distancing to increase the safety of home visits, but for many, reducing the frequency of visits can be a valuable piece in the puzzle of pandemic safety protocol. Especially for seniors eligible for lower level […]
President Donald Trump said telemedicine is a top priority for his administration and is working to make the temporary regulatory changes permanent during a July 16 news briefing. After the pandemic hit, the administration removed barriers that allowed physicians to work across state lines to provide telemedicine. It also made changes to temporarily boost reimbursement for […]
COVID-19 hit hospitals hard, leaving providers with an influx of new patients and uncertainty about how to move forward. A new commentary in Circulation: Heart Failure offers a first-hand account of how one facility faced the pandemic head-on, embracing telehealth to ensure patients with advanced heart failure (HF) received the high-quality care they deserve. “At our institution, […]
Remote Patient Monitoring (RPM) is real-time or near real-time evaluation of a patient’s clinical status outside of a traditional healthcare setting. RPM leverages wireless devices (e.g., weight scale, blood pressure monitor), often integrated with a software platform, to monitor patients’ health status. Providers can use RPM to manage patients with a range of chronic conditions […]
Abstract Rapid spread of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) forced an abrupt shift in the traditional US health care delivery model to meet the needs of patients, staff, and communities. Through federal policy changes on telehealth, patient care shifted from in-person to telephone or video visits, and health care providers reached out to patients most at […]
In response to the telehealth expansions and increased usage during the pandemic, CMS is reviewing the temporary regulation changes it made and assessing which should become permanent, according to CMS Administrator Seema Verma. In a July 15 Health Affairs article, Ms. Verma addressed the benefits that telehealth expansions have crafted during the pandemic and what challenges CMS […]
Since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, the Department of Health and Human Services made sweeping changes that expanded telehealth coverage for Medicare patients. A bill introduced to the U.S. House of Representatives on Thursday would make some of them permanent. The Protecting Access to Post-Covid-19 Telehealth Act would codify one of the most significant changes made during the […]
Leaders of the House telehealth caucus introduced legislation Thursday to permanently open up access to telehealth services for Medicare patients. The bipartisan bill , the Protecting Access to Post-Covid-19 Telehealth Act, will extend the use of telehealth that was expanded during the COVID-19 pandemic by eliminating restrictions on the use in Medicare. That would provide a […]
CHAPEL HILL, N.C.–The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic has broadly affected how health care is provided in the United States. One notable change is the expanded use of telehealth services, which have been quickly adopted by many health care providers and payers, including Medicare, to ensure patients’ access to care while reducing their risk of […]
During the height of the coronavirus pandemic, venturing outside in New York felt like preparing for battle. Germs were invisible bullets from which we tried to shield ourselves using masks and distancing. Staying home was of course the safest course of action, but for some, going out to see a doctor was crucial to their […]
During the Coronavirus pandemic, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has taken unprecedented action to expand telehealth for Medicare beneficiaries. Since people were advised to stay at home to reduce risk of exposure of COVID-19, there was an urgency to increase access to telehealth services to help people who need routine care and […]
The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated telemedicine expansions and provisions but as states approach emergency order expirations, the status of coverage and regulations remains uncertain. Five things to know: 1. Over the past few months, CMS Administrator Seema Verma has voiced her support for telemedicine expansions. In June, Ms. Verma confirmed that the agency is in the process of […]