Three Ways to Bolster Telehealth
In the urgency to deploy telehealth programs during the COVID-19 pandemic, healthcare providers may have overlooked key processes that now need attention, according to
Figuring out how to accelerate virtual care is no longer enough. Health providers also need to consider three things: whether they re delivering the best experience; how telehealth fits into their overall care model; and how to build patient trust, especially as concerns about privacy and data breeches are rising.
Because of the extraordinary circumstances when the pandemic started, people would accept a less than optimal experience, noted Brian Kalis, digital health managing director for the consulting firm Accenture. But that goodwill won t last, Kalis told
New Telehealth Bills Roll in
With a new administration in Washington came a slew of new and re-introduced telehealth bills,
The Protecting Access to Post-COVID-19 Telehealth Act, a bill aiming to make permanent some emergency access and coverage rules put in place during the COVID-19 pandemic, was reintroduced by Congressional Telehealth Caucus members and once again earned the support of the American Telemedicine Association.
The act specifies that Medicare will reimburse providers for either ordering a test . to an eligible telehealth individual an amount equal to the amount that such physician or practitioner would have been paid for a diagnostic laboratory test, or furnishing an assistive telehealth consultation to an eligible telehealth individual an amount equal to the amount that a physician or practitioner would have been paid for such telehealth service.
Health IT News noted.
Even before the COVID-19 public health emergency, healthcare had a cyber target on its back, said Christopher Logan, director of healthcare industry strategy at the software company VMware. We ve been measuring the risks and the threat for telemedicine-type services for many years.
The question is not one of computer literacy, but whether basic security measures are in place, added Northwell Health s chief quality officer and deputy chief medical officer, Mark Jarrett. Providers associated with larger hospitals may have the privilege of an additional layer of security, while smaller or medium-sized providers are basically on their own, he said.
Claims Lines Steady as Waivers Extended
The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) extended the COVID-19 public health emergency including key waivers for telehealth until April 2021,
Under the emergency, HHS has allowed more types of providers to bill Medicare for telehealth services and has granted waivers for audio-only telemedicine to be reimbursed.
The extension comes as new FAIR Health data show that telehealth claim lines the individual services or procedures listed on an insurance claim continued to be relatively steady through October, though wildly outpacing 2019 levels.
Telehealth accounted for 5.61% of medical claims lines in October 2020, a giant leap from 0.18% in October 2019, the nonprofit s Monthly Telehealth Regional Tracker showed.
New Audio-Only Telehealth Bill Introduced
A new telemedicine bill introduced in Congress this month would expand Medicare coverage for audio-only telehealth visits,
Virtual visits that use telephone only, not video, have been a challenge for clinicians, as telehealth services exploded after the COVID-19 public health emergency.
The Permanency for Audio-Only Telehealth Act, introduced by U.S. Reps. Jason Smith (R-Mo.) and Tony Cardenas (D-Calif.), calls for CMS to reimburse providers who use audio-only platforms for evaluation and management services or for mental and behavioral health. The legislation also would remove geographic restrictions stipulated by CMS, allowing a Medicare patient s home to be used as a delivery site for certain telehealth services.