Tag: COVID-19 public health emergency

Medicare’s Telehealth Reimbursement Waiver Extended to 2024

Medicare’s Telehealth Reimbursement Waiver Extended to 2024

The final 2024 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule includes a provision that allows health systems to bill Medicare for telehealth services provided by doctors from their homes. This extension of a crucial Medicare reimbursement for health systems using telehealth services lasts until the end of 2024, and it also grants physicians working from home added privacy […]
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Congress Backs Permanent Telehealth Rule Changes

Congress Backs Permanent Telehealth Rule Changes

A new bill pending in Congress could make permanent the telehealth changes that proved beneficial to physicians and patients during the COVID-19 pandemic. Additionally, a leading physician group is now backing site-neutral payment for medical services. These two topics have recently been the subject of renewed discussion due to proposals by federal policy makers. CONNECT […]
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AMA Approves 2 New CPT Codes for COVID-19

AMA Approves 2 New CPT Codes for COVID-19

One of the codes, CPT Code 99072, is for reporting additional supplies used to mitigate spread of the virus. The American Medical Association (AMA) announced, Sept. 8, two new Category I CPT® codes to meet the changing needs of the healthcare industry brought about by the COVID-19 public health emergency (PHE). The codes were approved […]
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CPT Code for 2021

CPT Code for 2021

In the upcoming year, medical coders can anticipate a more streamlined process in adapting to the revised code set, which encompasses alterations in E/M codes and more. Notably, the CPT® Editorial Panel has sanctioned a smaller number of new codes for 2021, providing a welcomed respite. This is particularly relieving in light of the comprehensive […]
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CMS to Require Hospitals to Report Critical COVID-19 Data on Bed Capacity, PPE and Cases

CMS to Require Hospitals to Report Critical COVID-19 Data on Bed Capacity, PPE and Cases

  The Trump administration is now going to require all hospitals to submit daily critical information on COVID-19, including bed capacity and the availability of essential supplies. The Centers for Medicare & Medicare Services (CMS) released an emergency regulation Tuesday calling for the mandatory reporting. The agency also posted new requirements for lab reporting and […]
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A View into Proposed Medicare PFS and Policy Changes for 2021

A View into Proposed Medicare PFS and Policy Changes for 2021

  The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) in the past week has proposed Medicare payment rules for outpatient services and physicians for 2021 and finalized payment rules for inpatient rehabilitation facilities (IRFs) and psychiatric facilities. Looking specifically at the 2021 Physician Fee Schedule (PFS) proposed rule, scheduled to be published Aug. 17, it […]
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Early Impact Of CMS Expansion Of Medicare Telehealth During COVID-19

Early Impact Of CMS Expansion Of Medicare Telehealth During COVID-19

During the Coronavirus pandemic, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has taken unprecedented action to expand telehealth for Medicare beneficiaries. Since people were advised to stay at home to reduce risk of exposure of COVID-19, there was an urgency to increase access to telehealth services to help people who need routine care and […]
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Emerging Opportunities And Risks With Telehealth In The Age Of COVID-19

Emerging Opportunities – And Risks – With Telehealth In The Age Of COVID-19

As is painfully obvious to even the most casual of observers, the COVID-19 public health emergency has been disruptive to all industries. And, the healthcare industry has been at the epicenter of this disruption. Nonetheless, not all disruption is negative. One bright spot for many healthcare practitioners during this public health crisis has been the […]
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CMS Guidance for Remote Patient Monitoring (RPM)

CMS Guidance for Remote Patient Monitoring (RPM)

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has provided some guidance within the “Medicare and Medicaid Programs Policy and Regulatory Revisions in Response to the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency” interim final rule (IFR), allowing for remote patient monitoring, or RPM. This type of patient care is very helpful for ongoing treatment during the COVID-19 […]
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IPPS Proposed Rule_ Proposes Increased Payment Rates

Medicare Telehealth Coding as of April 30

Healthcare providers are granted even more latitude for use of telehealth services during the COVID-19 public health emergency. On a Friday, at month-end, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) kindly dropped another bomb on us: more temporary policy changes during the public health emergency for COVID-19. We may have this all sorted out just […]
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