Reduced demand for lucrative elective procedures is forcing hospital systems to merge or partner up to augment other services that have boomed during the pandemic. By Sydney Halleman Hospital systems are turning to joint ventures and other types of partnerships to add high-demand services quickly and efficiently. Telehealth, home health and out-patient services, which have increased […]
On October 14, 2020, CMS added eleven (11) new services to its Medicare telehealth list that are payable during the COVID-19 public health emergency (PHE). This latest expansion of telehealth services is the first to use the new, expedited process that CMS established in May 2020. CMS has also announced additional support to state Medicaid […]
Only 20% of US health systems said they’d continue offering telehealth if reimbursement rates reverted to pre-pandemic levels. This could make patients flock to direct-to-consumer virtual care providers like 98point6. A mere 20% of US health systems said they’d continue offering telehealth if reimbursement rates reverted to pre-pandemic levels, while another 30% are unsure whether […]
A new bill before Congress would mandate Medicare coverage for at-home COVID-19 tests integrated with a telehealth platform. By Eric Wicklund October 22, 2020 – Lawmakers are now trying to integrate COVID-19 testing with a telehealth visit for seniors and others at risk of contracting the virus. The Safe Testing at Residence Telehealth (START) Act of 2020, unveiled […]
SANTA CLARA, Calif., Oct. 22, 2020 /PRNewswire/ — Frost & Sullivan’s recent analysis, Digital Hospitals: Creating Growth Opportunities in Patient Care during the COVID-19 Pandemic and Beyond, finds that digital hospitals that deploy smart technologies, such as artificial intelligence (AI), remote health monitoring, and robotics, deliver higher standards of patient care and hassle-free experiences for health professionals. The adoption […]
States could take a two-pronged approach to extend Medicaid telephonic or audio-only coverage beyond the pandemic, according to Jacqueline Marks, a manager with the Manatt Health division of the Manatt, Phelps & Phillips law firm. Under the approach, included in a list of suggested policy actions she drafted, states would: 1) Create a policy that allows coverage […]
Medicare Advantage plans are available for people with End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) as of 2021. Medical Advantage plans have the flexibility to include telehealth provider in practice areas including primary care, cardiology, dermatology, psychiatry, gynecology, and endocrinology Standard Medicare Part D prescription drug plan coverage parameters are new in 2021. Initial Deductible will increase by […]
As home health and home care operators move toward the ninth month of the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s important to take stock of what has been accomplished from a policy perspective. Many of 2020’s regulatory changes will be fleeting, but others will shape the future of post-acute care for years to come. That was the message […]
Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senators Susan Collins (R-ME) and Ben Cardin (D-MD) introduced the Home Health Emergency Access to Telehealth (HEAT) Act, a bipartisan bill to provide Medicare reimbursement for audio and video telehealth services furnished by home health agencies during the COVID-19 emergency and future public health emergencies. U.S. Representatives Roger Marshall (R-KS), Terri Sewell (D-AL), Jodey […]
Today, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued a final rule [CMS-1730-F] that finalizes routine updates to the home health payment rates for calendar year (CY) 2021, in accordance with existing statutory and regulatory requirements. This rule also finalizes the regulatory changes related to the use of telecommunications technology in providing care under […]
CMS on Thursday made permanent changes to telehealth flexibilities for home health providers. In its home health payment rule for 2021, the agency signed off on changes to allow providers to use telehealth for related skilled services if they’re outlined in a patient’s care plan. It also requires provides to describe how telehealth would improve treatment in a patient’s […]
Providers have looked to telehealth to continue seeing patients and revenue cycle technologies to improve efficiencies. Jeff Lagasse, Associate Editor When the COVID-19 pandemic hit earlier this year, it presented health systems across the U.S. with a need to accelerate innovation during an unprecedented time that shut down many in-person medical services. Health systems quickly turned […]
Since the COVID-19 pandemic began, most health systems (91 percent) have been able to fully meet telehealth demand thanks to decreased regulations and increased reimbursement rates. For its “Top of Mind for Top Health Systems 2021: Digital health priorities in the era of COVID-19” report, KLAS Research partnered with Pittsburgh-based Center for Connected Medicine to survey […]
On October 14, CMS announced several changes designed to expand access to telehealth. CMS made further additions to the list of services that Medicare will pay for practitioners to furnish through telehealth for the duration of the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency (PHE) (“Medicare Telehealth List”). Additionally, CMS provided data and resources to support telehealth efforts […]
On October 14, 2020, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) expanded the list of telehealth services covered by Medicare during the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency. CMS also announced it would be providing additional support to state Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) agencies in delivering telehealth services. CMS added the telehealth services using, for […]
