HIPAA Journal

OCTOBER 13, 2022

The Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services, Xavier Becerra, is expected to extend the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency (PHE) today (October 13, 2022) for the 11th time. Coverage was extended to include Medicare beneficiaries in any geographic region, not just beneficiaries in rural areas.

COVID-19 109

COVID-19 Public Health HIPAA Medicare 109

Healthcare It News

JULY 11, 2024

The second version of ONC's Health Data, Technology, and Interoperability: Patient Engagement, Information Sharing and Public Health Interoperability rule, or HTI-2, is designed to support the data exchange needs of patients, providers, payers and public health agencies.

US Department of Health and Human Services 294

US Department of Health and Human Services Public Health COVID-19 Governance 294

Mobi Health News

MAY 8, 2023

According to an audit by the Office of the Inspector General, Medicare improperly paid for $580 million of psychotherapy care, including $348 million of telehealth services, during the first year of the COVID-19 public health emergency.

Medicare 119

Medicare Medicare COVID-19 Public Health 119

Healthcare It News

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.

COVID-19 331

COVID-19 Public Health Medicaid Medicaid 331

Bill of Health

JANUARY 26, 2022

The MIEP overburdens county and local jails financially and jeopardizes public health. 2628 would support states and counties in delivering quality health care. Inmates need more health care, with chronic disease rates among inmates being more than double the general public. Legislation like H.R. 3514 and S.2628

Medicaid 299

Medicaid Medicaid COVID-19 Public Health 299

Modern Healthcare

MARCH 18, 2022

More than 40% of Medicare enrollees used telehealth during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to federal data.

Public Health 126

Public Health COVID-19 Medicare Medicare 126

Healthcare It News

SEPTEMBER 9, 2022

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services is inviting patients and their families, providers, clinicians, consumer advocates, healthcare professional associations, individuals serving underserved communities and all CMS stakeholders serving populations facing disparities in health and healthcare to submit public comments by November 4.

COVID-19 284

COVID-19 Medicaid Medicaid Public Health 284

Healthcare IT News - Telehealth

JUNE 2, 2021

It's become common knowledge, at this point, that the flexibilities enabled by the federal government at the start of the COVID-19 public health emergency prompted an atmospheric jump in telehealth use. " The uncertainty about when the public health emergency will lift creates "a lot of anxiety," said Hayes.

COVID-19 218

COVID-19 Public Health Federal Policy Medicare 218

Healthcare It News

NOVEMBER 23, 2023

WA Health extends cloud contract with Atos Atos will continue delivering managed services, hybrid cloud, and core infrastructure services to Health Support Services (HSS), the ICT service provider for WA Health, following a contract extension. It has been working with HSS on the digital transformation of WA Health since 2019.

Public Health 316

Public Health Governance Hospitals Medicare 316

Healthcare IT News - Telehealth

MARCH 18, 2020

" Covered entities seeking to use audio or video communication tech to reach patients where they live "can use any non-public facing remote communication product that is available to communicate with patients," said the agency. ON THE RECORD.

COVID-19 217

COVID-19 HIPAA Nursing Homes Medicare 217

Healthcare IT News - Telehealth

JANUARY 25, 2021

According to a press statement from Thompson's office, it would: Eliminate most geographic and originating site restrictions on the use of telehealth in Medicare and establishing the patient’s home as an eligible distant site. This is a common-sense step to make sure our policies keep pace with our technology," he added.

COVID-19 216

COVID-19 Medicare Medicare Telemedicine 216

Healthcare IT News - Telehealth

JULY 16, 2020

House of Representatives on Thursday aims to ensure telehealth is able to continue to build on its potential in the years ahead, by making permanent some policies enacted during the pandemic and protecting Medicare beneficiaries' ability to engage in virtual care. WHY IT MATTERS.

COVID-19 192

COVID-19 Medicare Medicare Public Health 192

Healthcare IT News - Telehealth

JULY 27, 2021

Leading healthcare industry stakeholders on Monday implored top leaders in the House and Senate to help ensure, among other imperatives, that "Medicare beneficiaries [don't] abruptly lose access to nearly all recently expanded coverage of telehealth." " WHY IT MATTERS.

COVID-19 215

COVID-19 Medicare Medicare Public Health 215

Healthcare IT News - Telehealth

APRIL 30, 2021

senators has reintroduced the Creating Opportunities Now for Necessary and Effective Care Technologies (CONNECT) for Health Act of 2021. The act would expand coverage of Medicare telehealth services and make some COVID-19 telehealth flexibilities permanent, among other provisions. Access for Medicare beneficiaries.

COVID-19 218

COVID-19 Medicare Medicare Public Health 218

Healthcare IT News - Telehealth

APRIL 14, 2025

For Medicare, telemedicine reimbursement and regulation has been about kicking the can down the road – more temporary extensions of COVID-era flexibilities. Dr. Ateev Mehrotra is chair of the department of health services, policy and practice at Brown University School of Public Health.

Telemedicine 126

Telemedicine Medicare Medicare Medicaid 126

Healthcare IT News - Telehealth

JUNE 16, 2021

would remove the statutory requirement that Medicare beneficiaries be seen in person within six months of receiving mental health services through telehealth. "Medicare patients deserve direct access to telemental health services, and this bill removes barriers, to make this possible," he said. Ben Cardin, D-Md.,

Medicare 218

Medicare Medicare COVID-19 Public Health 218

Medisys Compliance

DECEMBER 23, 2022

The internet is ringing with the news of the CMS Updates Final rule for the 2023 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule. The finalized 2023 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule was announced by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) on November 1 2022. Medicare reimbursement for telehealth services.

Medicare 98

Medicare Medicare Medical Billing Medical Billing Outsourcing 98

Healthcare It News

SEPTEMBER 27, 2024

Recently, the country's Productivity Commission found My Health Record "plagued by incomplete records and poor usability." " Last year, the Strengthening Medicare Task Force also called for the modernisation of the "clunky" digital health records system.

Nurses 294

Nurses Governance Public Health Medicare 294

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. Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn., Meanwhile, U.S. Butterfield, D-N.C., and Glenn Thompson, R-Pa.,

US Department of Health and Human Services 205

US Department of Health and Human Services COVID-19 Telemedicine Medicare 205

Healthcare It News

APRIL 15, 2022

Postal Service and an online account this summer to connect with Medicaid enrollees about the expected end of the covid public health emergency, which will put many recipients at risk of losing their coverage. State Medicaid agencies for months have been preparing for the end of the public health emergency.

Medicaid 258

Medicaid Medicaid US Department of Health and Human Services COVID-19 258

Healthcare IT News - Telehealth

MARCH 25, 2021

Using data from Blue Health Intelligence data repository – an independent data and analytics company that is a licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association – researchers from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health compared claims data from March through June 2019 with March through June 2020.

COVID-19 218

COVID-19 Public Health Medicare Medicare 218

Healthcare IT News - Telehealth

MARCH 1, 2021

"OIG is conducting significant oversight work assessing telehealth services during the public health emergency. "Where telehealth and other remote access technologies were once a matter of convenience, the public health emergency made them a matter of safety for many beneficiaries," wrote Grimm.

Fraud 212

Fraud Telemedicine Department of Veterans Affairs COVID-19 212

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. .

Public Health 98

Public Health Medicaid Medicaid COVID-19 98

Healthcare IT News - Telehealth

JUNE 15, 2021

senators this past week introduced another bill aimed at making telehealth flexibilities permanent under Medicare – including audio-only telehealth appointments. The act would: Permanently waive the geographic restriction allowing Medicare patients to be treated from their homes. THE LARGER TREND.

COVID-19 200

COVID-19 Medicare Medicare Public Health 200

Healthcare IT News - Telehealth

NOVEMBER 22, 2023

Patients who received care under the pandemic's Acute Hospital Care at Home program had a low mortality rate and minimal complications related to escalations back to the brick-and-mortar hospital, according to a CMS research letter published in the Journal of the American Medical Association Health Forum.

Hospitals 160

Hospitals COVID-19 Public Health Medicare 160

Bill of Health

JULY 15, 2022

Government Patent Use to Promote Public Health in the United States: Overcoming Nonpatent Exclusivities. Am J Public Health. Cancer Therapy Approval Timings, Review Speed, and Publication of Pivotal Registration Trials in the US and Europe, 2010-2019. What to Know About the Alzheimer Drug Aducanumab (Aduhelm).

Public Health 208

Public Health Medicare Medicare Governance 208

Healthcare It News

JANUARY 10, 2023

End-of-year legislation included a two-year extension for Medicare telehealth flexibilities that have been in place since the COVID-19 public health emergency was declared, but the telehealth industry is advocating to make systematic changes created by telehealth expansion permanent.

COVID-19 324

COVID-19 Hospitals Telemedicine Medicaid 324

Healthcare IT News - Telehealth

FEBRUARY 3, 2023

The Telehealth Benefit Expansion for Workers Act would amend the Public Health Service Act, the Employee Retirement Income and Security Act of 1974 and the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to allow employers to treat benefits for telehealth services like excepted benefits. In an announcement about the bipartisan bill, Rep.

COVID-19 180

COVID-19 Public Health Medicare Medicare 180

Medisys Compliance

JANUARY 23, 2025

This article provides a comprehensive overview of telehealth mental health billing updates for 2025, addressing key questions, coding changes, and regulatory updates that impact billing practices. Will Medicare Stop Paying for Telehealth in 2025? physicians vs. non-physician mental health professionals).

Medical Billing Outsourcing 59

Medical Billing Outsourcing Medicare Medicare Medical Billing 59

Kaiser Health News

AUGUST 3, 2023

For the readmission penalties , Medicare cuts as much as 3 percent for each patient, although the average is generally much lower. The patient safety penalties cost hospitals 1 percent of Medicare payments over the federal fiscal year, which runs from October through September. Below are look-up tools for each type of penalty.

Medicare 83

Medicare Medicare Hospitals Public Health 83

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. And some legislators do too.

COVID-19 202

COVID-19 Public Health Nurses Medicare 202

Compliance Now

MARCH 15, 2022

In addition to the extension of telemedicine protections for HDHPs, the 2022 CAA expands the scope of telehealth services that Medicare will cover. The legislation also allows both Medicare and Medicaid to continue covering select telehealth services for 151 days after the COVID-19 public health emergency ends.

COVID-19 189

COVID-19 Telemedicine Medicare Medicare 189

Bill of Health

JUNE 15, 2023

By Laura Dolbow Merck recently filed a lawsuit that challenges the constitutionality of the Medicare price negotiation program created by the Inflation Reduction Act. Merck argues that this form of price regulation charts a “ radical new course ” for Medicare that violates the Takings Clause of the Fifth Amendment.

Medicare 195

Medicare Medicare Medicaid Medicaid 195

Healthcare IT News - Telehealth

JUNE 20, 2023

A bipartisan group of legislators has reintroduced the Creating Opportunities Now for Necessary and Effective Care Technologies for Health Act – first introduced in 2016 – to expand opportunities and coverage for telehealth through Medicare. Remove unnecessary in-person visit requirements for telemental health services.

Medicare 170

Medicare Medicare COVID-19 Doctors 170

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.

COVID-19 211

COVID-19 Telemedicine Public Health Medicaid 211

Healthcare IT News - Telehealth

SEPTEMBER 2, 2021

Department of Justice announced this week that a Florida laboratory owner had pleaded guilty for his role in a $73 million Medicare kickback scheme. Although these changes were intended to safeguard access to care for Medicare beneficiaries, DOJ says some fraudsters have used them for their own benefit. THE LARGER TREND.

COVID-19 165

COVID-19 Medicare Medicare Public Health 165

Healthcare IT News - Telehealth

JULY 26, 2022

The American Telemedicine Association and its ATA Action affiliate on Monday expressed support for a bipartisan bill that would extend the virtual care flexibilities of the public health emergency another two years. They also called for the legislation to safeguard two other provisions they said were key to health equity.

COVID-19 176

COVID-19 Public Health Medicare Medicare 176