As the 117th Congress moves into its second legislative session, there is no shortage of health care policy issues dotting the landscape. The COVID-19 pandemic, legislative gridlock and a 2021 that was largely locked down by ongoing negotiations around the infrastructure and Build Back Better packages have left a range of stakeholders looking and hoping […]
There are services on the internet that let you track COVID-19 in your area or recover from burnout related to COVID. But are these telehealth, telemedicine, or neither? The terms telehealth and telemedicine are often used to mean the same thing, but that’s not exactly accurate. Telemedicine is the use of technology to provide clinical care over distance. […]
The Biden Administration is awarding nearly $1 billion in American Rescue Plan funding through the HRSA to about 1,300 health centers across the country for capital improvements, including telehealth expansion. By Eric Wicklund September 28, 2021 – The Biden Administration is shelling out almost $1 billion in American Rescue Plan funding to health centers in every state to […]
On July 23, 2021, the Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services (“CMS”) released the CY 2022 Physician Fee Schedule Proposed Rule (“Proposed Rule”) which outlines several proposed changes to reimbursement of Medicare telehealth services. As a result of the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency (“PHE”), CMS instituted several waivers and flexibilities to allow increased access to […]
A mix of telehealth and personal visits can yield better results for patients than strictly in-person visits, according to a technology leader at Dallas-based home healthcare firm AccentCare. During a webinar Tuesday for the National Association for Home Care & Hospice, the company’s chief clinic innovation officer released findings from a telehealth study the company […]
A Montana Congressman has introduced a bill that would establish Medicare coverage for asynchronous (store-and-forward) telehealth services in all 50 states, expanding the possibilities for a platform that would improve rural access to care. By Eric Wicklund August 09, 2021 – A Montana Congressman wants to improve rural healthcare access by ensuring Medicare coverage for asynchronous (store-and-forward) telehealth […]
Senator John Kennedy is hoping that four telehealth bills packaged together can push Congress to take action on long-term connected health policy. By Eric Wicklund June 21, 2021 – With Congress facing dozens of bills aimed at improving telehealth coverage beyond the pandemic, one Senator is pressing the issue by combining four bills into one piece of legislation. […]
The Big Picture This month, a majority of states are beginning to adjourn their 2021 legislative sessions. Across the country, lawmakers considered and passed a wide range of health care legislation, including coverage expansions as well as strategies to contain prescription drug costs, address health care affordability, advance and expand telehealth, and ensure behavioral health care […]
The eHealth Initiative and several high-profile organizations are once again asking Congressional leadership to enact long-term telehealth policy to preserve some access and coverage rules that have been enacted during the pandemic. By Eric Wicklund July 21, 2021 – Telehealth advocates have launched another effort to prompt Congress to establish a post-pandemic connected health policy. The eHealth Initiative is […]
More than 400 advocacy groups are calling for Congress to act quickly to permanently expand flexibilities for telehealth that could go away after the end of the COVID-19 public health emergency expected to run through 2021. The 430 groups sent a letter to congressional leadership on Monday underscoring the urgency for action now amid concerns from providers […]
Two proposed rules from CMS target better home health and access to health insurance exchanges, while proposed telehealth bills aim to improve rural health access and diabetes prevention. By Emily Sokol, MPH June 30, 2021 – CMS issued two proposed bills that would expand home healthcare and access to health insurance exchanges. Meanwhile, Congress continues to push for […]
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Jacky Rosen (D-NV), a member of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP), and Senator Dan Sullivan (R-AK), led a bipartisan group of Senators – including Senators Jon Tester (D-MT), Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), Ben Ray Lujan (D-NM), and Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) – in announcing the introduction of their Rural […]
The U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) on Monday proposed plans to expand the Home Health Value-Based Purchasing (HHVBP) model nationwide by the start of next year. The agency did so in its proposed payment rule for 2022. In addition to the HHVBP expansion, CMS proposed to increase Medicare payments to home health […]
