March 17, 2020 – A remote patient monitoring tool that assesses patient ambulation and mobility could be useful for predicting risk for 30-day hospital readmissions, according to new data published in JAMA Network Open. Overall, a remote patient monitoring tool helped predict 30-day hospital readmissions, discharge location (patient home versus a rehabilitation center), and length of stay at over 80 […]
The COVID-19 pandemic is entering a new stage of global spread. The outbreak has generated a frenzy of activity related to telehealth, which offers a unique capacity for remote screening and treatment, and can be a powerful tool for reducing transmission of the disease. Kevin Campbell, MD, says the time is now for medicine to […]
As federal officials continue to urge Americans – particularly older adults – to stay in their homes to stem the spread of the coronavirus, President Donald Trump on Tuesday said telehealth options for Medicare recipients are being expanded and made easier to take advantage of. “Medicare patients can now visit any doctor by phone or video […]
Washington (CNN)President Donald Trump on Tuesday laid out new efforts his administration is undertaking as part of the federal response to the spread of novel coronavirus in the US.Officials on the White House coronavirus task force indicated during a White House briefing on Tuesday with the President that they hope to “flatten the curve” of US diagnoses of coronavirus […]
The federal government is stripping away barriers to Medicare telehealth coverage as a frontline response to the coronavirus outbreak, which feeds on person-to-person contact and has proven deadliest for elderly individuals. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Administrator Seema Verma announced the temporary coverage expansion in a mid-day White House news conference Tuesday held by […]
On March 13, 2020, President Donald Trump issued a proclamation declaring a national emergency concerning the novel coronavirus disease (the “Emergency Declaration”). The president framed the emergency declaration as empowering the Secretary of Health and Human Services (“HHS”) to waive “laws to enable telehealth,” which gave providers hope that the administration would remove some of the primary […]
The Trump administration on Tuesday announced an emergency expansion of telehealth coverage for Medicare beneficiaries amid the COVID-19 outbreak, removing multiple regulatory barriers to doctors providing remote care for nursing home residents. Retroactive to March 6, Medicare can pay for virtual consultations provided through telehealth platforms across the country, including those conducted in a patient’s […]
On Friday, President Donald Trump declared a national emergency related to the Covid-19 pandemic. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services loosened requirements that would make it easier for hospitals to bolster care through telehealth. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and Department for Health and Human Services (HHS) implemented changes that would […]
One day after the declaration of a state of emergency by the Trump administration on Friday, March 13, the House of Representatives passed H.R. 6201, the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (the “Act”). In addition to funding for nutrition services and several key tax provisions designed to allow for additional family leave for coronavirus victims […]
(CNN)President Donald Trump offered Americans a fresh weapon to fight the novel coronavirus in his Rose Garden emergency declaration on Friday: Telehealth.In his remarks, Trump said his administration will waive certain federal rules to make it easier for more doctors to provide care remotely using video chats and other services.”I tell you, what they’ve done with telehealth is […]
On Monday, March 9, 2020, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS) released information on permissible flexibilities and obligations that are in effect during a disaster and emergency resulting from COVID-19. Flexibilities Medicare Advantage Plans (MA). In the memorandum issued, CMS outlined the flexibilities Medicare Advantage and Part D plans have to waive certain requirements. […]
As coronavirus spreads, health officials have had to adopt a very cold calculus. Resources are scarce, so they can only test a limited number of people. Those who are infected need to be diagnosed, monitored, and quarantined. But, sending everyone with fever or a cough to a hospital or clinic, especially in the midst of cold and flu season, would […]
Recognizing that patients prioritize convenient and inexpensive care, Duffy and Lee recently asked whether in-person visits should become the second, third, or even last option for meeting patient needs.1 Previous work has specifically described the potential for using telemedicine in disasters and public health emergencies.2 No telemedicine program can be created overnight, but U.S. health systems that […]
The coronavirus epidemic is rapidly escalating in the United States. In addition to social distancing measures, such as canceling public events and working from home, we need a health system strategy premised on testing, telehealth, and treatment that achieves the twin objectives of curbing transmission and optimizing care for the influx of patients expected in the coming weeks. With […]
As the pandemic that is the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) grows, telehealth technology is finding its footing as people become more concerned about their level of exposure to the virus and as health systems expect to be overwhelmed with treating those affected. President Donald Trump recently signed an $8.3 billion package that, in part, allows Department […]