Telemedicine
Bipartisan support keeps telehealth adoption moving forward
Over the last decade, few issues in politics have been more polarizing than healthcare. It’s driven a deep wedge between Democrats and Republicans, particularly following the passage of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and the subsequent efforts to repeal it, and has caused rifts within those parties. Yet despite all the animosity, there is one […]
Telehealth Continues To Change The Face Of Healthcare Delivery – For The Better
As the federal government, via Medicare/Medicaid, and insurance companies strive to keep “heads out of beds” (e.g., patients managed into an outpatient setting [your doctor’s office] vs. inpatient/hospital settings), the need for more clinicians and better access to care grows unabated. In an effort to manage both increased demand (e.g., access) by patients and patients […]
AMA Supports Remote Patient Monitoring, Telehealth in 2020 CPT Codes
The American Medical Association is adding several new codes to its 2020 CPT code set to support remote patient monitoring and telehealth services. By Eric Wicklund September 09, 2019 – Remote patient monitoring and telehealth play prominently in the 2020 CPT codes unveiled this month by the American Medical Association. Among the 248 new codes added […]
CPT changes in 2020 include new codes to allow doctors to bill for digital health
The American Medical Association (AMA) released updates to its Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) codes for 2020, including new codes to keep doctors up-to-date with new technology. The AMA released 394 code changes, including 248 new codes, 71 deletions and 75 revisions. The changes, which will take effect on January 1, 2020, reflect new tech-enabled patient services. […]
Do benefits of remote patient monitoring outweigh challenges?
Remote patient monitoring keeps healthcare providers informed about their patients’ health between visits, and can warn them if something changes that needs immediate attention. Reda Chouffani Biz Technology Solutions Published: 19 Aug 2019 Remote patient monitoring allows providers to stay updated about their patients’ health outside of the four walls of a hospital. Being able […]
SNF Telehealth Adoption Hampered By Capital and Cultural Obstacles
By Maggie Flynn | July 28, 2019 Skilled nursing providers are becoming increasingly interested in telehealth technology as a way of improving clinical outcomes and reducing care costs. But systemic obstacles blocking capital investment — and SNFs’ generally narrow margins — and cultural resistance mean that it’s hard for providers to implement the technology, Lana […]
Telemedicine Reimbursement, Coverage is Better Than Ever
“The question of how telehealth can improve hospital revenue cycles is an evolving area worthy of additional study beyond the ATA Report,” says the American Telemedicine Association’s CEO. More states than ever are expanding telehealth coverage and reimbursement, according to a new report from the American Telemedicine Association (ATA). It shows that since 2017, 40 […]
Telehealth services expand at state level, but adoption barriers remain
American Telemedicine Association’s “State of the States Report” finds progress, but still sees strategies for states to be incentivized to adopt pro-telehealth policies. By Nathan EddyJuly 19, 201911:03 AM Expansion of telehealth coverage and reimbursement at the state level has grown since 2017, according to the latest American Telemedicine Association The report indicates that while […]
ATA Releases 2019 Update of State-by-State Telehealth Report Cards
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 […]
CMS Innovation Center Proposes Telehealth Solutions in ET3 Model
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 […]
New Bill Seeks to Expand Telehealth Services in Rural Health Clinics
A bill introduced in April seeks to expand telehealth services offered by the nation’s 4,300 rural health clinics by enabling them to be qualified through Medicare as distant site providers. By Eric Wicklund May 15, 2019 – Congress is considering a bill that would enable rural health clinics to support – and be reimbursed for – […]
CMS Issues Final Rule for Telehealth
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 […]
U.S. health officials unveil experiment to overhaul primary 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, […]