{"id":5114,"date":"2017-12-08T01:10:26","date_gmt":"2017-12-08T01:10:26","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/tele.healthcare\/?p=5114"},"modified":"2017-12-08T01:10:26","modified_gmt":"2017-12-08T01:10:26","slug":"united-states-slow-and-steady-cms-expands-telehealth-reimbursement-opportunities-in-2018","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/drmiltie.com\/at-home-testing\/united-states-slow-and-steady-cms-expands-telehealth-reimbursement-opportunities-in-2018\/","title":{"rendered":"United States: Slow And Steady \u2013 CMS Expands Telehealth Reimbursement Opportunities In 2018"},"content":{"rendered":"

Per CMS 2018 is the year for Telehealth Reimbursement!<\/strong><\/p>\n

December 8, 2017 by Shelby Buettner, Lisa Schmitz Mazur and McDermott Will & Emery<\/p>\n

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) reiterated its commitments to expanding access to telehealth services and paying “appropriately” for services that maximize technology in the Medicare Program; Revisions to Payment Policies under the Physician Fee Schedule and Other Revisions to Part B for CY 2018; Medicare Shared Savings Program Requirements; and Medicare Diabetes Prevention Program Final Rule<\/a> published on November 15, 2017 (the Final Rule). Among many other developments, the Final Rule expands allowable telehealth reimbursement under the calendar year (CY) 2018 Physician Fee Schedule, List of Medicare Telehealth Services (list) and permits virtual sessions in certain circumstances under the Medicare Diabetes Prevention Program Expanded Model (MDPP, or the Program). The regulations are effective January 1, 2018.<\/p>\n

“New” and “Add-On” Telehealth Services Slated for Reimbursement<\/h3>\n

CMS evaluates requests for the addition of telehealth services on the basis of two categories: (1) services that are similar to services already on the list and (2) services that are not similar to services already on the list. An evaluation of a category (2) service requires CMS to assess, based on the submission of evidence, whether the use of a telecommunications system to furnish the service “produces demonstrated clinical benefit to the patient.”<\/p>\n

Upon review of several public requests, CMS determined that the following services were “sufficiently similar” to services already on the list, thereby meeting the category (1) requirement:<\/p>\n