The American Telemedicine Association has updated its survey of state telehealth coverage and reimbursement policies and laws, which was last issued in 2017 By Eric Wicklund July 19, 2019 – Four out of every five US states have moved to improve telehealth coverage or reimbursement over the past two years, according to the latest survey of […]
As part of its efforts to provide patient-centered care and reduce costs for Medicare beneficiaries, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS) have developed an Innovation Center model for ambulance care teams: Emergency Triage, Treat, and Transport (ET3). As part of this model, the agency has proposed two potential telehealth offerings: 1) An individual who […]
Did you know that there are eight CPT codes that could generate potentially millions of dollars of annual revenue for your organization without significantly changing provider workflows — and that would also help you deliver better care? The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services’ (CMS) remote patient monitoring (RPM) codes are here: however, very few […]
Monday, May 13, 2019 Citing the use of telehealth as a care delivery option for Medicare Advantage (MA or Part C) enrollees with the potential to “improve access to and timeliness of needed care, increase convenience for patients, increase communication between providers and patients, enhance care coordination, improve quality and reduce costs related to in-person […]
An updated Telehealth Services Medicare Learning Network booklet was published in 2019. This booklet contains information regarding Telehealth Services requirements, distant site practitioners, and billing and payment for the originating site facility.
On April 5, 2019, CMS issued final rules (the Final Rule) implementing various provisions of the 2018 Bipartisan Budget Act (the 2018 Budget). The 2018 Budget includes provisions allowing Medicare Advantage plans to provide telehealth benefits as basic benefits, which are paid for by the Medicare program, rather than solely as supplemental benefits, which are […]
As patient preferences have evolved over the last decade, new forms of providing healthcare and home health services have continued to unfold. One popular trend is the rise of telehealth. For most providers, telehealth can mean a lower cost of providing health service and for patients as it offers convenience and increased access to care. […]
By Casey Ross @caseymross Federal health officials on Monday unveiled a new primary care experiment that seeks to pay doctors for providing stepped-up services that keep patients healthy and out of the hospital, an effort they say will transform basic medical services for tens of millions of American patients. The initiative, called CMS Primary Cares, […]
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (“CMS”) has published a final rule that will expand access to telehealth services for Medicare Advantage (“MA”) plan enrollees.[1]CMS Administrator Seema Verma characterized the agency’s latest policymaking efforts as “a historic step in bringing innovative technology to Medicare beneficiaries” and a way for the agency to provide “greater flexibility to Medicare Advantage […]
Contract Year 2020 Medicare Advantage and Part D Flexibility Final Rule (CMS-4185-F) On April 5, 2019, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued a final rule that updates the Medicare Advantage (MA or Part C) and Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit (Part D) programs by promoting innovative plan designs, improved quality, and choices for […]
The federal government released a breakdown of strategies that accountable care organizations (ACOs) have used to successfully partner with skilled nursing facilities — a move that could indicate policymakers’ continued support of the care models. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) recently released a care coordination toolkit for ACOs that drew from focus […]
By Tim Mullaney | April 15, 2019 Recently finalized Medicare Advantage (MA) policy changes will likely bring more telehealth services to senior living communities. Under the new policies, finalized on April 5 by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Medicare Advantage plans will be allowed to cover telehealth services that originate from beneficiaries’ […]
The expansion of telehealth is changing the landscape of health care. This is the second in a four-part series exploring what providers should know about this growing area. Before 2015, Medicare did not pay separately for telehealth, and telehealth and telemedicine services were bundled into “evaluation and management” codes. However, in 2015, the Center for […]
The rule updates give Medicare Advantage plans the flexibility to offer telehealth as a covered benefit, boosting patient care access. By Sara Heath April 09, 2019 – CMS has finalized updates that would introduce telehealth as a covered benefit in Medicare Advantage plans, which will ideally improve patient care access. This move comes as a part […]
On Friday, April 5, 2019, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (“CMS”) announced that it had finalized policies allowing Medicare Advantage plans (“MA Plans”) to include additional telehealth benefits in their basic benefit packages starting in 2020. The final rule implementing the changes (the “Final Rule”) will be published in the Federal Register on April 16, […]