May 24, 2023 – Earlier this month, a group of six United States House representatives introduced the Protecting Rural Telehealth Access Act, which intends to maintain regional telehealth access and Medicare coverage flexibilities enacted during the COVID-19 pandemic. The expansion of telehealth that took place during the COVID-19 pandemic helped boost access to care, including in rural areas. […]
May 22, 2023 – A new report from the Center for Connected Health Policy (CCHP) found that various changes in telehealth policies related to Medicaid reimbursement, private-payer laws, and professional requirements occurred at the state level in 2023. Encompassing the period of January to March 2023, this spring report followed the standard process of organizing information under three headings: […]
Friday, January 6, 2023 Introduction On December 29, 2022, President Biden signed the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023 (the “Act”). The Act provides for nearly $1.7 trillion in funding across a range of domestic initiatives, including certain appropriations to healthcare and related programs. In addition to funding, the Act modifies certain telehealth provisions, expands and extends components […]
For healthcare providers treating some of the most underserved populations and communities, the end of the COVID-19 public health emergency is pretty bleak. Federal waivers expanding access to and coverage of telehealth will end with the PHE, forcing them to curtail or even end programs that had seen quite a bit of success over the […]
Telehealth is a natural fit to cover healthcare gaps in rural and frontier locations. But the nature of rural living often means difficulty accessing the tools and resources needed for a successful and sustainable telehealth practice. On this page: Internet access for rural telehealth patients and providers Equipment and technology access for rural telehealth Solutions […]
Preparation is critical for patients who are new to receiving care through telehealth. Rural patients often have high levels of healthcare needs, but see healthcare providers less than their urban counterparts. In short, the people who need healthcare the most aren’t always getting it. Telehealth can be that bridge for rural patients to get the […]
Billing and reimbursement for rural and frontier telehealth services is, in many ways, no different than any other healthcare service. There are also some stark differences. On this page: Medicare and Medicaid billing reimbursement Medicare billing guidance Medicare and Medicaid billing reimbursement The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Office of Minority Health focuses on rural […]
Save time and avoid frustration by planning your telehealth workflow in advance. On this page: Get to know your community Create a business plan Market and advertise your telehealth services Evaluate your telehealth program A successful and sustainable telehealth practice in a rural area needs careful planning from the early research through implementation. We can […]
Learn strategies for developing a rural telehealth program. Rural frontier living can be a haven for the 60 million Americans that live in a rural part of the United States. It often means less traffic congestion, less pollution, and more open spaces.fq Rural living may also mean less access to critical healthcare infrastructure and technology. […]
Learn the basic requirements for treating rural communities virtually. There are several ways to approach rural telehealth care. You could be living and working in a rural or frontier area and launching a new telehealth program. Or you could be located in a more urban or suburban area and expanding your practice to include rural […]
On July 7, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released its annual proposed rule updating the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (MPFS) for calendar year (CY) 2023, which included various proposed changes related to the provision of telehealth, including implementing telehealth provisions included within the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2022, and extending coverage through the end of […]
The House passed a bill Wednesday to expand telehealth services that were first introduced during the COVID-19 pandemic. The legislation, titled the Advancing Telehealth Beyond COVID–19 Act, passed in a 416-12 vote. Eleven Republicans and one Democrat objected to the measure. Two Republicans did not vote. Reps. Andy Biggs (R-Ariz.), Andrew Clyde (R-Ga.), Warren Davidson (R-Ohio), Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.), Jody Hice (R-Ga.), […]
Congress has extended telehealth benefits for Medicare beneficiaries and for participants in high-deductible health plans with health savings accounts. The extension keeps telehealth benefits in place that were greatly expanded at the start of the pandemic. But the future of expanded telehealth medicine remains uncertain. The telehealth extension was enacted on a temporary basis as […]
