Healthcare Law Blog

SEPTEMBER 6, 2022

In response to the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency (the “PHE”), the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (“CMS”) issued numerous “blanket waivers” to increase access to medical services, and ease the regulatory burden on providers across the health care industry.

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Healthcare IT News - Telehealth

AUGUST 25, 2020

Social distancing is a key factor in reducing the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus, and tele-visits can be a safe and secure means for providers to deliver certain types of care for their patients. The area continues to face an increase in severe COVID-19 cases that require hospitalization – overwhelming many hospitals.

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Medisys Compliance

MAY 19, 2022

During the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency (PHE), reimbursements for telehealth continue to evolve. The federal government, state Medicaid programs, and private insurers have expanded coverage for virtual health care services. Changed Telehealth Policies. Eligible services. Cost-sharing. Coding Guidelines.

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HIT Consultant

MARCH 8, 2022

The COVID-19 pandemic led to sweeping healthcare policy changes that enable vulnerable Americans to receive affordable health coverage and access essential safety net benefits. Under the PHE, states must keep Medicaid enrollees continuously covered, irrespective of their circumstances. .

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Healthcare It News

DECEMBER 16, 2022

Talking points: The future of the Public Health Emergency and the flexibilities it allows. A "perfect storm" of financial stress for hospitals and health systems. Silicon Valley and the state of VC funding for digital health startups. Telehealth's future after the end of the public health emergency.

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HIT Consultant

JULY 17, 2023

Talib Jaber, RPh, VP of Customer Success, Sunwave Health The pandemic caused a significant increase in overdose and Substance Use Disorder (SUD) related deaths, exposing long-standing deficiencies in the identification and treatment of SUD. It’s important to note that Medicaid is the leading payer for SUD treatment in the country.

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Health Law Attorney

JANUARY 13, 2022

In June 2021, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (“ OSHA ”) issued an Emergency Temporary Standard (“ ETS ”) that would require, amongst other things, employers with 100 or more employees to adopt a mandatory COVID-19 vaccination policy. An overview of the OSHA Vaccine Policy requirements can be accessed here.

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Medisys Compliance

APRIL 20, 2022

Billing and coding guidelines for various medical specialities are constantly getting updated due different COVID-19 variants. As Public Health Emergency (PHE) has extended beyond 16 th April 2022 by 90 days, various waivers are continued, making no change in billing guidelines in pandemic.

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Health Law Advisor

AUGUST 14, 2023

During the COVID-19 PHE, CMS issued temporary waivers, including a waiver of the “location requirement” of the In-Office Ancillary Services (“IOAS”) exception. 3] As indicated above, the temporary waiver that allowed mailing or home delivery of DME during the COVID-19 PHE expired May 11, 2023 and is no longer available.

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McBrayer Law Blog

FEBRUARY 23, 2022

COVID-19 has placed enormous stress on our healthcare system. Federal and state responses to COVID-19 have woven a complex and complicated safety net by easing regulatory requirements through waivers and funneling billions of dollars to providers among many other actions.

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Healthcare IT Today

DECEMBER 31, 2020

To further support clinicians during the COVID-19 public health emergency, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has extended the deadline for COVID-19 related 2020 Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) Extreme and Uncontrollable Circumstances Exception applications to February 1, 2021.

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Center for Health Insurance Reform

DECEMBER 9, 2022

For the latest installment of our monthly research roundup, we reviewed studies on consumer awareness of Medicaid renewals resuming when the COVID-19 public health emergency (PHE) expires, integrating health equity into value-based payment models, and trends in hospital consolidation across health care markets.

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Healthcare IT News - Telehealth

OCTOBER 14, 2021

A group of healthcare organizations announced this week the launch of the Advanced Care at Home Coalition, an advocacy effort aimed at creating a pathway toward safeguarding access to hospital-level services. The coalition's perspective, he said, is that regulators should "put guardrails on, but let us continue the good work.

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Healthcare It News

JANUARY 10, 2023

The virtual care services will be delivered without copays, out-of-pocket costs or deductibles for families with active insurance or Medicaid coverage. Before the pandemic, patients had to be in a rural area in a hospital or clinical setting to receive reimbursement for telehealth. WHY IT MATTERS. THE LARGER TREND.

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Healthcare IT News - Telehealth

JULY 18, 2022

With funding support from a broad range of federal agencies – Department of Commerce, HRSA, USDA and FCC – the health system has worked with more than 150 community hospitals, clinics, medical practices, schools and other healthcare entities to bring specialty care to underserved communities and patients. THE PROBLEM.

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C&M Health Law

JANUARY 25, 2023

Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) issued a number of waivers and flexibilities to help healthcare providers manage the influx of patients during the Public Health Emergency (PHE).

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Healthcare IT News - Telehealth

OCTOBER 2, 2020

Department of Health and Human Services to issue guidance to states about how to increase access to telehealth under Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program. Existing strategies states can use to integrate telehealth and other virtual health care services into value-based health care models.

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Healthcare IT News - Telehealth

MARCH 23, 2021

Now more hospitals and health systems are looking to expand their efforts beyond video visit-based virtual care, and push for expanded remote patient monitoring programs – up to and including the provision of acute care at home. The COVID-19 crisis has forced providers to think more creatively about care models and revenue.

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Hall Render

MAY 2, 2023

COVID Regulations Impacted CMS issued several interim final rules during the PHE. Interim final rules are effective for a period of three years from the date of publication if CMS does not take further action. COVID Testing Requirements. COVID Vaccine Education. COVID Staff Vaccine. COVID Reporting Requirements.

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Healthcare IT News - Telehealth

JUNE 30, 2020

"Much of this transformation is dependent on temporary flexibilities extended to health systems and providers that are limited to the duration of the COVID-19 public health emergency declaration," the letter read. WHY IT MATTERS. Senate HELP Committee Chair Sen. Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn., Meanwhile, U.S.

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Healthcare IT News - Telehealth

DECEMBER 14, 2020

The American Telemedicine Association, the Connected Health Initiative and other industry groups issued a letter to Congress on Friday urging legislators to extend temporary telehealth flexibilities until the end of 2021. These have included the Telehealth Modernization Act and the Protecting Access to Post-COVID-19 Telehealth Act.

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HIPAA Journal

JUNE 26, 2023

When the Secretary issues a Notice of HIPAA Enforcement Discretion, it only applies to the emergency area for the emergency period specified in the public health emergency declaration, and only to hospitals that have initiated a disaster protocol.

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Healthcare IT News - Telehealth

AUGUST 5, 2020

In March, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services released new guidance regarding remote patient monitoring. For the duration of the public health emergency triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic, RPM services can be provided to both new and established patients, said the agency. "This is. not just us.

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Kaiser Health News

FEBRUARY 8, 2022

The federal government has penalized 764 hospitals — including more than three dozen it simultaneously rates as among the best in the country — for having the highest numbers of patient infections and potentially avoidable complications.

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Healthcare IT News - Telehealth

MAY 30, 2023

The COVID-19 public health emergency came to an end on May 11. This also happens to coincide with the World Health Organization declaring an end to the COVID-19 global health emergency. What does the end of the public health emergency mean for the future of the healthcare industry?

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Health Populi

JUNE 3, 2020

As we wrestle with just “what” health care will look like “after COVID,” there’s one certainty that we can embrace in our health planning and forecasting efforts: that’s the persistence of telehealth and virtual care into health care work- and life-flows, for clinicians and consumers alike and aligned.

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Healthcare IT News - Telehealth

NOVEMBER 8, 2021

National Nurses United and the California Nurses Association released a joint statement this past week criticizing Kaiser Permanente's aims to expand advanced hospital services into patients' homes. "The Advanced Care at Home Program does not limit the role of nurses in hospitals." WHY IT MATTERS.

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Healthcare Law Today

JANUARY 4, 2023

million omnibus spending bill that became law December 29, 2022, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) extended, through December 31, 2024, the Acute Hospital Care at Home (H@H) initiative whereby individual hospitals may seek waivers to operate H@H programs. As part of the $1.7

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Healthcare IT News - Telehealth

NOVEMBER 1, 2022

Along with telehealth, remote patient monitoring programs grew during the COVID-19 pandemic because federal rules gave providers the flexibility to use RPM for the duration of the public health emergency.

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Health Law Checkup

MARCH 17, 2022

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued almost 200 “blanket” waivers which automatically apply to health care providers including hospitals, other healthcare facilities, and healthcare professionals.

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Health Law Checkup

MARCH 14, 2022

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued almost 200 “blanket” waivers which automatically apply to health care providers including hospitals, other healthcare facilities, and healthcare professionals.

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Healthcare IT News - Telehealth

SEPTEMBER 16, 2020

epicenters of the COVID-19 crisis, were some of the first to feel the brunt of the disease's effects. "It made sense that all eyes were on the hospitals, because they were overwhelmed with sick patients," said Dr. Donna R. "My health insurance may have coverage for telemedicine, and yours may not."

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Health Populi

FEBRUARY 16, 2021

physicians grew concerned that patients who were avoiding visits to doctor’s offices were missing care for chronic conditions, discussed in in Delayed and Forgone Health Care for N onelderly Adults during the COVID-19 Pandemic from the Urban Institute. By the autumn of 2020, U.S.

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Healthcare IT News - Telehealth

MAY 13, 2020

A qualitative RAND Corporation study finds that psychiatrists offering telemedicine for the first time during the COVID-19 pandemic have had largely positive perceptions of the transition. Before the COVID-19 pandemic struck, a variety of logistical and regulatory hurdles prevented many psychiatrists from using telemedicine.

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Healthcare IT News - Telehealth

NOVEMBER 2, 2020

Located in the heart of North Philadelphia, Temple University Hospital serves one of the nation’s most economically challenged and diverse urban populations. More than 85% of the patients served by Temple are covered by government programs, including Medicare and Medicaid. " Deborah Cancilla, Temple University Hospital.

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Health Populi

JUNE 24, 2021

The economic and healthcare system impacts of this were explored in the Post-Covid Healthcare Landscape , delivered by Fitch Solutions’ Jamie Davies and Beau Noafshar, leaders in the Pharmaceuticals, Healthcare, and Medical Devices groups. The forecast is that these backlogs could persist “for years” in the NHS.

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Healthcare IT News - Telehealth

JULY 28, 2020

Lots of industry groups want to see the temporary government waivers enacted early on during the COVID-19 public health emergency – the ones enabling the vast expansion of telehealth and remote patient monitoring over the past four months – to be made permanent once the storm has subsided.

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