The COVID-19 pandemic transformed telehealth by creating a sudden imperative for remote delivery of medical care to the benefit of patients and providers alike. That transformation has catapulted telehealth and its many benefits to the forefront of mainstream medicine. The challenge now: Make those benefits permanent and expand them further to improve value in care […]
February 7, 2021 – Federal Communications Commission Acting Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel on Tuesday made a visit to Children’s National Hospital, and a virtual visit to the University of Virginia, to emphasize the agency’s goals of investing in telehealth strategies, with a specific emphasis on serving marginalized communities, veterans, and low-income patients. Rosenworcel acknowledged that more needs to […]
AMGA president and CEO calls on Congress to act on several of the organization’s priorities, including coronavirus vaccination and promotion of telemedicine. KEY TAKEAWAYS In 2021, Congress should provide $100 billion in pandemic relief to healthcare providers, AMGA President and CEO Jerry Penso says. Congress should extend the moratorium on Medicare sequestration cuts through the […]
As we’ve discussed in previous posts, since the beginning of the pandemic, telehealth providers have seen a dramatic increase in demand for their services along with a number of temporary regulatory measures aimed at expanding telehealth access to more patient populations. Most of these measures, on the federal and state level, are tied to the […]
US Rep. Ted Budd and Senator Ted Cruz have reintroduced a bill that would allow healthcare providers to use telehealth to treat anyone in any state for up to six months after the pandemic. By Eric Wicklund February 04, 2021 – A bill has been resubmitted that would allow healthcare providers to use telehealth to treat patients in […]
WASHINGTON, D.C. (WHSV) — West Virginia Senator Shelley Moore Capito and Minnesota Senator Amy Klobuchar have reintroduced legislation to enhance telehealth support for seniors and increase access to technology for “virtual visits” during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a press release from Senator Capito’s office. The press release says the Advancing Connectivity during the Coronavirus […]
Few people question whether care delivery will continue to migrate out of the hospital into new settings such as the home. The better question is, what services – specifically – will migrate to the home, and what innovations are necessary to support these migrations? By ELLEN HERLACHER Post a comment / Jan 31, 2021 at 10:00 AM By […]
The Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) released it’s post-COVID-19 telehealth policy proposals on Tuesday. These proposals include the expansion of telehealth services, requiring payment parity for telehealth services, expanding the use of audio-only care and many more proposals. When the COVID-19 pandemic was declared a public health emergency, the collective provisions like the CARES Act, FFCRA and other federal […]
As we’ve discussed in previous posts, since the beginning of the pandemic, telehealth providers have seen a dramatic increase in demand for their services along with a number of temporary regulatory measures aimed at expanding telehealth access to more patient populations. Most of these measures, on the federal and state level, are tied to the […]
A $3.2 billion program spun out of the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021 aims to help low-income and underserved communities gain access to broadband services – and make it easier to access telehealth. By Eric Wicklund January 29, 2021 – The Federal Communications Commission will hold a round-table discussion next month on a new program designed to help […]
Digital technologies have transformed almost every aspect of the health care and life sciences industry—from electronic health records and telemedicine, to diagnostics and therapeutics augmented by artificial intelligence, and to remote clinical trials. The year 2020 witnessed the COVID-19 pandemic catalyzing unprecedented levels of digital health innovation and adoption. The digital health industry is entering […]
The relief bill signed into law this past weekend by President Trump includes $250 million for the Federal Communications Commission’s COVID-19 Telehealth Program, which was shut down in July after exhausting its budget. By Eric Wicklund December 29, 2020 – The latest federal COVID-19 relief bill is giving new life to a program aimed at expanding telehealth through […]
Tuesday, January 26th, 2021 WASHINGTON, D.C. (January 26, 2021)—Rep. Mike Thompson (D-California), founder and co-chair of the Congressional Telehealth Caucus, along with caucus Co-Chairs Reps. Peter Welch (D-Vermont), Bill Johnson (R-Ohio) and David Schweikert (R-Arizona) and caucus member Rep. Doris Matsui (D-California)announced the reintroduction of the Protecting Access to Post-COVID-19 Telehealth Act. This bipartisan bill […]
In Short The Situation: Telehealth services continue to evolve and show promise for improving quality care, care coordination, and access to services while often demonstrating cost effective options for care. The Action: The Office of Inspector General (“OIG”) finalized its proposed exception to the Beneficiary Inducements Civil Monetary Penalties Law to protect certain telehealth technologies […]
On December 3, 2020, HHS issued its fourth amendment to the Declaration for Medical Countermeasures Against COVID-19 under the Public Readiness and Emergency Preparedness Act (PREP Act). The PREP Act authorizes the Secretary of HHS to issue a declaration to provide liability protections to certain individuals and entities (Covered Persons) against any claim of loss […]