The COVID-19 pandemic has tested physicians and the health care system, and its full impact on society may not be known for some time. But is has also provided validation, even if painful, that the AMA’s strategic plan has put the organization on the right path, said James L. Madara, MD, the AMA’s executive vice […]
Only a few patients with COVID-19 pneumonia required hospitalization when they received care in a “hospital at home” (HaH) telemedicine program, researchers at one health system reported. Of nearly 1,500 patients enrolled in the program, 40 required hospitalization and eight needed ventilation; just two patients died, reported Kranthi Sitammagari, MD, of Atrium Health in Monroe, […]
The push for increased telehealth coverage continues during the COVID-19 public health emergency (“PHE”). On October 14, 2020, CMS added 11 new telehealth services available for Medicare reimbursement during the PHE. The newly added services include cardiac and pulmonary rehabilitation services and certain neurostimulator analysis and programming services. Since the beginning of the PHE, CMS has added […]
The American Telemedicine Association reflects on telehealth expansion during the Trump Administration and looks forward to progress under President-Elect Biden. By Hannah Nelson November 11, 2020 – In response to the results of the 2020 presidential election with America choosing former Vice President Joe Biden as its 46th president, the American Telemedicine Association (ATA) issued a statement calling for policymakers to expand […]
There may never be a better time for your medical practice to start developing its telemedicine portfolio. Recently, the federal government has made it easier for healthcare providers to provide and bill for telemedicine services. While some of these changes are temporary, applying only while the COVID-19 public health emergency persists, other changes are permanent. […]
On October 29, 2020, CMS issued the Home Health Prospective Payment System final rule [CMS-1730-F, CMS-1744-IFC, and CMS-5531-IFC], which permanently authorizes use of telecommunications technology as part of patient care under the Medicare home health benefit.[1] The final rule is another regulatory step toward CMS recognizing the critical role of virtual care in the home […]
The Federal Communications Commission will open applications Nov. 6 for its $100 million Connected Care Pilot Program, which aims to improve telehealth access for low-income Americans and veterans. The program, which was introduced by the FCC in 2018, will provide up to $100 million from the Universal Service Fund over a three-year period to help providers implement connected care […]
With forethought and the right technology on board, remote patient monitoring can be a good complement to telehealth, allowing physicians to receive data about their patients’ in real time. As the COVID-19 pandemic and shutdown kept people at home to avoid getting sick, especially those with chronic health conditions, experts recommended remote patient monitoring (RPM) […]
The three-year, $100 million program, aimed at boosting broadband connectivity in underserved parts of the country to support telehealth expansion, will accept applications for one month, beginning on November 6. By Eric Wicklund November 05, 2020 – The Federal Communications Commission is set to launch its Connected Care Pilot Program, a three-year, $100 million project aimed at expanding telehealth […]
CMS released or proposed five rules since Oct. 28 concerning new payment reforms, price transparency regulations and coverage of a COVID-19 vaccine. Here’s a breakdown of the five rules and proposals, beginning with the most recent: 1. CMS released a final rule Nov. 2 that updates payment rates for dialysis services. It takes effect Jan. 1. The […]
During the COVID-19 public health emergency, the Medicare 1135 waiver immediately expanded the use of telehealth and bypassed HIPAA requirements, allowing essentially any video chat application to be used for remote patient visits. Within days, free video chat apps of all sorts became widely used by skilled nursing facilities and practically all other healthcare provider […]
The 2020 Home Health Final Rule has a “significant change” that home healthcare agencies “should be paying close attention,” according to Aaron Tripp, vice president for reimbursements and financing policy at LeadingAge. During a LeadingAge Coronavirus Update call this week, Tripp noted that although the payment part of the Request for Anticipate Payment will go away next […]
Supporters of digital Diabetes Prevention Programs say the PREDICTS trial proves that telehealth and mHealth tools can improve clinical outcomes for people at risk of developing the chronic disease. By Eric Wicklund November 04, 2020 – A year-long study conducted by the University of Nebraska and Wake Forest University has found that a telehealth platform can help reduce […]
That is a $390M increase in Medicare home health reimbursement, according to a new final rule that also expands coverage of telecommunications tech and keeps the PDGM’s behavioral adjustment. By Jacqueline LaPointe November 04, 2020 – CMS has finalized a 1.9 percent, or $390 million, increase in Medicare home health reimbursement in 2021. The boost in reimbursement is […]
CMS since March has expanded the number of services Medicare will cover when provided via telehealth to help support access to healthcare during the COVID-19 pandemic. Here are the 146 additional services, and their respective codes, that CMS will cover when provided via telehealth through the duration of the public health emergency: 1. 77427: radiation management 2. 90853: group […]