COVID-19 has exacerbated the nation’s struggle with mental health and substance use disorders (collectively called “behavioral health conditions”), fueling a full-blown crisis. For some Americans during the pandemic, this has meant feeling depressed and hopeless, making it challenging for them to perform everyday tasks. For older Americans and people with disabilities who may have already […]
On November 01, 2022, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued the Calendar Year (CY) 2023 Physician Fee Schedule (PFS) final rule that includes changes to the Medicare Shared Savings Program (Shared Savings Program) to advance CMS’ overall value-based care strategy of growth, alignment, and equity. Through the changes we finalized, we seek […]
On November 01, 2022, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued a final rule that includes updates and policy changes for Medicare payments under the Physician Fee Schedule (PFS), and other Medicare Part B issues, effective on or after January 1, 2023. The calendar year (CY) 2023 PFS final rule is one of several rules that reflect a broader […]
Today, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), through its Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), is expanding access to behavioral health care, cancer screening coverage, and dental care. The Calendar Year 2023 Physician Fee Schedule (PFS) final rule announced today also promotes innovation and coordinated care in the Medicare program through […]
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has finalized changes in CMS’s annual Physician Fee Schedule (PFS) proposed rule to significantly expand access to behavioral health services and moves the health system closer to achieving equitable outcomes through high quality, affordable, person-centered care. These changes will ensure CMS continues to deliver on our goals […]
There are practical ways to apply digital care solutions to improve health for all. Pandemic-related hardships affect the mental and physical health of various populations differently. Younger generations, women, and those with children in the home face higher rates of depression and anxiety, while Black and Hispanic adults fare worse than white adults across all […]
You may have heard of or used Telehealth. The growth of Telehealth has increased rapidly after the pandemic of COVID-19. Because during the pandemic of COVID-19, people depended on the Internet for their daily issues, and health was one of the issues faced daily by people. They needed a platform where they could get healthcare […]
Appropriate application of telehealth could make health care delivery more efficient, explains Dr Mike Hoaglin. As a currently practicing physician with plenty of experience working in the emergency department, I’m no stranger to advocating for patients’ access to care within complex and inefficient systems. Barriers to that care range from shortage of in-network supply of […]
The US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of Inspector General (OIG) found that despite the positive impact of telehealth flexibilities on home health agencies (HHAs), there is a need for further review of the services they provide and the patients it benefits most. As COVID-19 cases grew, so did restrictions on in-person healthcare. This […]
On September 26, the US Government Accountability Office (GAO) released a report titled “Medicare Telehealth: Actions Needed to Strengthen Oversight and Help Providers Educate Patients on Privacy and Security Risks.” The 75-page report describes the utilization of Medicare telehealth services under current pandemic-related waivers, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) efforts to identify and monitor risks posed […]
Telehealth remains a major topic of debate and study in the health policy community. This article looks at several recent newsworthy items in the telehealth space. This includes hundreds of groups lobbying the U.S. Senate for telehealth policy extensions, a study showing consumer preference for telehealth visits, and further debate about these services. Hundreds of […]
RSV and other respiratory illnesses in children are climbing well before the typical winter busy season. Physicians are reporting unseasonably high numbers of respiratory illnesses in children, straining many children’s hospitals before the typically busier winter months. Juan Salazar, physician in chief at Connecticut Children’s Medical Center in Hartford, Conn., said a sharp increase in […]
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services should evaluate how the use of telehealth affected the quality of home healthcare during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the Office of Inspector General (OIG). The government watchdog issued the recommendation in a report to the Department of Health and Human Services on Tuesday, Oct. 18. The OIG surveyed 400 […]
The current 90-day extension ends on January 11, 2023. The Biden Administration has extended the public health emergency for the 11th time since the declaration was first made in January 2020. Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra issued another 90-day declaration on Thursday, October 13. The current extension ends on January 11, 2023, Telehealth waivers, granted […]
Telehealth use has grown significantly since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, and a broad coalition of telehealth stakeholders wants the U.S. Senate to continue the policies enabling that growth. In a September 13 letter to Majority Leader Charles Schumer (D-NY) and Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) the coalition urged the Senate to extend by two years the […]
