telehealth

Federal Health Policy Update for October 19

The following is the latest health policy news from the federal government for October 13-19. Some of the language used below is taken directly from government documents. Congress At this moment there is still no Speaker of the House of Representatives. After 20 and then 22 House Republicans voted against Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) on Tuesday and Wednesday this week, Mr. Jordan has joined others, including senior Democrats, in supporting a plan to expand the powers of the temporary speaker, Rep. Patrick McHenry (R-NC). Mr. Jordan remains the speaker designee, an option that will enable him to continue to seek [...]

iqtsupport2023-10-19T15:01:13-04:00October 19, 2023|Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, CMMI, COVID-19, health equity, hospitals, Medicaid, Medicaid disproportionate share, Medicaid DSH, Medicaid DSH allotments, Medicare, Medicare post-acute care, Medicare reimbursement policy, Telehealth|

DEA Okays Continued Remote Prescribing of Controlled Substances

The federal Drug Enforcement Administration has extended the authority of qualified health care providers to prescribe controlled substances via telehealth through the end of 2024. This authorization originated as a temporary measure in response to the COVID-19 public health emergency and this is its second extension since the end of the formal public health emergency. The DEA says it intends to promulgate new remote prescribing standards by the fall of 2024. Without the extension, the authority would have expired on November 11. Learn more about this DEA decision, why it was made, and what to expect next from this Federal [...]

iqtsupport2023-10-11T06:00:23-04:00October 11, 2023|COVID-19, Telehealth|

Federal Health Policy Update for September 28

The following is the latest health policy news from the federal government for September 22-28. Some of the language used below is taken directly from government documents. The White House President Biden has signed H.R. 2544, the Securing the U.S. Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network Act, which provides for awarding multiple grants, contracts, or cooperative agreements to operate the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network. Congress Congressional leaders have not come to agreement on how to avert a federal government shutdown this weekend. While Senate leaders introduced a continuing resolution that would fund the government through November 17, that bill has [...]

iqtsupport2023-09-28T16:38:25-04:00September 28, 2023|Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Congress, COVID-19, health equity, MACPAC, Medicaid, Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission, Medicaid disproportionate share, Medicaid DSH, Medicaid DSH allotments, Medicare, Telehealth|

Federal Health Policy Update for May 18

The following is the latest health policy news from the federal government for May 12-18. Some of the language used below is taken directly from government documents. Congress The House Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee has approved and advanced five bipartisan health care bills. H.R. 3281 combined a number of proposals into a larger package and includes provisions that would: delay for two years Medicaid disproportionate share (Medicaid DSH) cuts currently scheduled to take effect on October 1; require health providers to use a unique identifier for each off-campus or remote outpatient department beginning in 2026; change how Medicare pays [...]

iqtsupport2023-05-18T17:13:49-04:00May 18, 2023|340b, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Congress, COVID-19, Medicaid, Medicaid disproportionate share, Medicaid DSH, Medicare, Medicare reimbursement policy|

Federal Health Policy Update for May 11

The following is the latest health policy news from the federal government for May 5-11. Some of the language used below is taken directly from government documents. End of the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency DeBrunner & Associates has prepared a summary of the status of selected government health care waivers and flexibilities following expiration of the COVID-19 public health emergency today. The DeBrunner summary covers telehealth, COVID-19 treatment and coverage, flexible hospital operations, long-term-care hospitals, inpatient rehabilitation facilities and units, patient cost-sharing, and state Medicaid waivers. Find the summary here. CMS has sent a memo to state Medicaid and CHIP [...]

iqtsupport2023-05-11T14:13:44-04:00May 11, 2023|340b, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, COVID-19, hospitals, Medicaid, Medicare, Medicare reimbursement policy, Telehealth|

Federal Health Policy Update for April 27

The following is the latest health policy news from the federal government for April 21-27. Some of the language used below is taken directly from government documents. End of the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency DeBrunner & Associates has prepared a summary of the status of selected government health care waivers and flexibilities upon the expiration of the COVID-19 public health emergency on May 11. The DeBrunner summary covers telehealth, COVID-19 treatment and coverage, flexible hospital operations, long-term-care hospitals, inpatient rehabilitation facilities and units, patient cost-sharing, and state Medicaid waivers. Find the summary here. CMS has posted a new FAQ that [...]

iqtsupport2023-04-27T18:37:44-04:00April 27, 2023|Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, COVID-19, MACPAC, Medicaid, Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission, Medicaid disproportionate share, Medicaid DSH, Medicaid DSH allotments, Medicaid long-term services and supports, Medicaid regulations, Medicare, Medicare reimbursement policy, MedPAC|

Federal Health Policy Update for March 30

The following is the latest health policy news from the federal government for March 24-30. Some of the language used below is taken directly from government documents. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services CMS’s Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation (CMMI) has extended its Medicare Advantage Value-Based Insurance Design (VBID) Model for calendar years 2025 through 2030 and will introduce changes intended to address more fully the health-related social needs of patients, advance health equity, and improve care for patients with serious illness. Learn more from this CMS announcement, which includes a link to additional information about the program. CMS [...]

iqtsupport2023-03-30T17:20:37-04:00March 30, 2023|Alternative payment models, Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, CMMI, COVID-19, MACPAC, Medicaid, Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission, Medicare, Medicare reimbursement policy, Telehealth|

Federal Health Policy Update for February 23

The following is the latest health policy news from the federal government for February 17-23. Some of the language used below is taken directly from government documents. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services CMS has issued an informational bulletin to states reiterating certain federal requirements that pertain to health care-related taxes. Recently, CMS became aware that some health care-related tax programs appear to involve agreements among providers to redistribute their Medicaid payments to hold taxpayers harmless for the cost of the tax. The bulletin reminds states that such arrangements are prohibited. Find the CMS bulletin here. CMS has posted a [...]

iqtsupport2023-02-23T15:53:32-05:00February 23, 2023|Accountable Care Organization, ACO, Alternative payment models, COVID-19, Medicaid, Medicare, Telehealth|

Telehealth Not Improving Opioid Treatment

Telehealth is not improving access to help for patients with opioid use disorders, a new study has found. Instead, use of telehealth is comparable to visits to providers’ offices when it comes to access. According to the analysis, Results of this study revealed that clinical outcomes were similar among patients who were treated by clinicians with high and low telemedicine use during the COVID-19 pandemic, suggesting that telemedicine is a comparable alternative to in-person OUD care. There was no evidence that telemedicine was associated with increased access to or improved quality of OUD treatment. Learn more from the JAMA Network [...]

iqtsupport2023-01-26T06:00:07-05:00January 26, 2023|Telehealth|

Federal Health Policy Update for January 12

The following is the latest health policy news from the federal government for January 6-12. Some of the language used below is taken directly from government documents. Renewal of COVID-19 Public Health Emergency Declaration HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra has signed an order extending the previous declaration of a COVID-19 public health emergency. This declaration extends the emergency to April 11. The administration continues to assure stakeholders it will provide 60 days’ notice prior to the end of the public health emergency. MedPAC Medicare Rate Recommendations Every year MedPAC recommends to Congress rate increases for the different kinds of health care [...]

iqtsupport2023-01-12T19:22:04-05:00January 12, 2023|Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, COVID-19, Medicaid, Medicare, Medicare disproportionate share, Medicare DSH, Medicare post-acute care, Medicare regulations, Medicare reimbursement policy, MedPAC, Telehealth|