U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) Alexander Azar renewed the COVID-19 national public health emergency declaration. Azar posted a picture of himself on Twitter signing the renewal July 23 and said that the Trump administration will continue its “whole-of-America” response to the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic. This is good news for primary care physicians who worried […]
As COVID-19 swab (PCR) and blood (antibody) testing continue to occur in greater numbers and diverse settings, it is important to recognize that the results of such tests are subject to HIPAA privacy and security compliance rules. There is a common public misconception that the declaration of a public health emergency has created a broad […]
COVID-19 has dramatically changed the way healthcare is delivered. Providers were forced to pivot quickly from total reliance on “in-person” visits to total reliance on alternative delivery methods. Between early March 2020 and early April 2020, the number of visits to ambulatory practices declined by nearly 60%. [1] While ambulatory visits are starting to rebound, […]
To build upon temporary legislative efforts to address telehealth coverage for COVID-19, multiple states have recently passed or proposed permanent legislation to require broader telehealth reimbursement by both private and public payers to extend beyond the public health emergency. State actions have varied widely in scope and duration, but a major focus of legislation has […]
Telehealth introduces a new approach to shared clinical decision making, facilitates trusted cooperation and patient engagement. For Siemens Healthineers, the COVID-19 pandemic sheds new light on digital solutions in value-based healthcare. Recently, millions of patients have realised how their health is dependent on access to a healthcare facility infrastructure. For the clinics and physicians, the […]
Before the pandemic, telehealth coverage was limited in scope. However, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) recently expanded coverage through its regulatory authority and waivers to encourage broad adoption of telehealth for the duration of the public health emergency. Accordingly, over the last few months, we have seen an exponential increase in telehealth. […]
In a blog post, CMS Administrator Seema Verma said the agency needs to assess telehealth reimbursement rates considering such significant uptake of virtual care during the COVID-19 pandemic. July 21, 2020 – Telehealth reimbursement rates is one area CMS is assessing in order to make Medicare telehealth expansions permanent after the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the agency’s […]
U.S. House Ways and Means Committee Republicans on Monday unveiled a discussion draft for a bill that would expand the availability of telehealth services under the Medicare program. Patients and stakeholders want to know if temporary waivers issued by Congress and the administration to expand telehealth during the COVID-19 pandemic will become a permanent part […]
A letter signed by more than 40 members of Congress calls on FCC Chairman Ajit Pai to provide details on the recently closed COVID-19 Telehealth Program – and asks how much he would need to continue the program By Eric Wicklund July 22, 2020 – Dozens of lawmakers are looking to revive the Federal Communications Commission’s COVID-19 Telehealth […]
New legislation introduced this week would expand access to telehealth options for rural residents. The KEEP Telehealth Options Act would require the federal government to study the actions taken to expand access to telehealth services during the COVID-19 pandemic and report on how to improve those services. The bill was introduced by Senator Deb Fischer, […]
CMS is proposing changes to the Medicare End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) Prospective Payment System (PPS) that would encourage the use of telehealth and mHealth platforms and tools to expand dialysis treatment to the home. By Eric Wicklund July 21, 2020 – Federal officials are throwing support behind telehealth and mHealth platform that would help providers extend dialysis treatment […]
Organizations and experts offer insights and predictions about what lies ahead post-COVID-19. KEY TAKEAWAYS Legislation proposed by the House addresses the most urgent priorities to permanently extend telehealth waivers. Clinical appropriateness, payment, and fraud are among the topics that will be explored during the next phase of telehealth expansion. Incentives to invest in technology, licensure […]
Federally qualified health centers looking to expand their telehealth footprint need to take a closer look at why their patients are having problems accessing healthcare. Transportation issues, insurance availability, home life and school and work pressures all can play a part in whether someone can or can’t visit the doctor, said Christina Quinlan, director of […]
In response to the pandemic, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has issued waivers permitting reimbursement for telehealth visits, the waiver of certain copayments and relaxed technology requirements. As Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee Chairman Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn., recently stated, the health care sector and government “have been forced to cram 10 years’ worth […]