The survey identifies what factors are most important to consumers when they choose telehealth, and it shows how the coronavirus pandemic has changed some of those priorities. By Eric Wicklund October 16, 2020 – Healthcare providers and payers looking to drive sustainability in a telehealth platform in a world affected by the coronavirus pandemic should focus on safety, […]
Eleven new services have been added to the list of telehealth services reimbursed by Medicare fee-for-service during the COVID-19 health emergency, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services announced Wednesday. Many of the new services involve cardiovascular care, including intensive cardiac rehabilitation with and without exercise, pulmonary rehab with exercise, and in-person ventricular assist device interrogation. Certain […]
Clinicians, vendors and telehealth advocates stress the importance of virtual services in expanding access to care – and noted the ways it still needs to improve. There’s no doubt that telehealth has proven to be an integral tool to keeping healthcare accessible amid the COVID-19 pandemic. “Telehealth has continued to grow and has continued to really […]
On October 14, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) announced that it has expanded its list of telehealth services approved for Medicare beneficiaries during the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency (PHE). The eleven telehealth services CMS just added are for cardiac and pulmonary rehabilitation. CMS approved them using an expedited process it unveiled in a May […]
As telehealth transitions from a nice-to-have benefit to an essential form of care delivery, payers will have to make some adjustments in order to permanently integrate telehealth coverage expansions. October 16, 2020 – Telehealth is metamorphosing and payers will have to take steps in order to permanently integrate telehealth coverage as a key form of care delivery. […]
Telehealth programs that include the caregiver in the care management process stand a better chance of improving outcomes and quality of life. October 16, 2020 – Telehealth programs are so focused on connecting the patient with the provider that they sometimes forget about the other person in the room: the caregiver. And that’s a problem. Family members […]
Community hospitals are a pillar of cities and towns across the nation and have been resilient over the past several years, especially during the pandemic. On Oct. 12, community hospital executives and industry leaders participated in the Becker’s Healthcare Community Hospitals Virtual Forum to discuss topics ranging from their biggest challenges and lessons learned during […]
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Alex Azar believes that COVID-19 has led to a health care revolution, one that will include a larger focus on care in the home. Specifically, Azar thinks the increase in telehealth usage and a stronger focus on social determinants of health will be major influences in […]
Telehealth will be a cornerstone of future health care policy following the COVID-19 pandemic, with Medicare Advantage plans as one engine for growth. Expansion of telehealth services across the health care continuum accelerated rapidly due to efforts to stem the spread of the novel coronavirus. These developments will likely shape health care for years to […]
CMS has added 11 services to Medicare’s telehealth reimbursement list for the duration of the pandemic and released new resources for state Medicaid and CHIP programs looking to expand their connected health offerings. By Eric Wicklund October 15, 2020 – The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has announced that 11 more telehealth services will qualify for Medicare […]
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s latest round of Distance Learning and Telemedicine grants, totaling $72 million, will go to 116 programs in 40 states, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The aid falls under the USDA’s Rural Utilities Service Telecommunications Program. “Increasing access to telemedicine and distance learning is critical to building healthier and […]
The AMA’s Behavioral Health Integration Collaborative, coming on the heels of last week’s Executive Order, aims to help providers use telehealth to integrate mental and behavioral health services into primary care. By Eric Wicklund October 13, 2020 – Healthcare providers will be getting some help in learning how to use telehealth to integrate mental health services into standard […]
More than 30 members of Congress have sent a letter to CMS Administrator Seema Verma asking her to expand COVID-19 telehealth coverage for audiology and speech-language pathology services. By Eric Wicklund October 13, 2020 – The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services is again facing calls to expand telehealth coverage for audiology and speech-language pathology during the coronavirus […]
Increased telehealth access during the pandemic may have changed the content of primary care appointments. How will this affect care in the future? By Sara Heath October 13, 2020 – Telehealth was instrumental in offsetting some of the serious decrease in primary care access during the onset of the COVID-19 public health crisis, but a retrospective analysis is highlighting some […]
By Robert Holly | October 8, 2020 Hospital admissions across the U.S. fell dramatically in spring with the onset of the COVID-19 virus. That sudden drop, in turn, caused patient volumes to plummet for home health providers that work primarily with acute referral sources. While hospital admissions rebounded in summer, they remain far below pre-pandemic levels, according to […]