News Archive

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, aided by a relaxation in federal telemedicine regulations, has ushered in a new era of virtual care. Physicians and patients have substantially increased their adoption and use of virtual care. According to one report, an estimated 1.6 million telemedicine visits were conducted early in the pandemic, between January and March 2020, representing approximately 50% more telemedicine visits than occurred in the same period in 2019.¹ Based on aggregated payer data covering 150 million privately insured individuals in the US, by April 2020 telemedicine visits accounted for 13% of all medical claims compared with 0.15% in April 2019, an 86-fold increase.

The American Hospital Association supports the elimination of geographic site restrictions and coverage for audio-only services, but it says more time is needed to study and set long-term telehealth reimbursement policy.

Gain practical knowledge with this comprehensive overview.  For those new to telehealth or looking for a refresher, this course will provide information on how to create and/or grow telehealth programs. Tools, tips, and lessons learned will be incorporated into the content of the various components of setting up a telemedicine program.  A total of 1.75 CME credit hours is available upon course completion.

The Acting Secretary for the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) indicated in a recent letter to state Governors that the Department intends to extend the declaration of a Public Health Emergency (PHE) through at least the end of 2021. The Public Health Service Act grants HHS broad authority to issue a PHE declaration that remains active for a 90-day period. In 2020, HHS took a wait-and-see approach to reauthorizing the PHE declarations it issued in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. This meant reevaluating the PHE declaration based on the evolving situation and reauthorizing the PHE declaration near the end of each 90-day period. In addition, the Acting Secretary indicated in the letter that the Department will provide states a 60-day notice prior to the termination of the PHE declaration.

$100 Million Program Will Support Connected Care Service Across Country, Focus on Low-Income and Veteran Patients

The Federal Communications Commission has selected 14 telehealth projects spanning more than 150 sites in 11 states to receive funding from the $100 million Connected Care Pilot Program.