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|

Federal Health Policy Update for November 17

The following is the latest health policy news from the federal government for the week of November 11 to 17. Some of the language used below is taken directly from government documents. Provider Relief Fund Providers that cited extenuating circumstances for failing to submit Provider Relief Fund financial reports on time for reporting period 3 and were approved to submit their reports late must submit those late reports by December 2. Learn more here. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services CMS has posted three downloadable sample formats that hospitals can use to meet federal requirements for posting in a machine-readable [...]

iqtsupport2022-11-17T17:29:00-05:00November 17, 2022|Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, CMMI, COVID-19, Medicaid, Medicare, Telehealth|

A Bump in the Road for Telehealth?

Maybe. A new study suggests that telehealth follow-up may not be ideal after a visit to the hospital emergency department. According to a study based on a very limited scope of ED cases, … telehealth follow-up was associated with 28.3 more repeated ED encounters and 10.6 more return hospital admissions per 1000 patients compared with in-person follow-up. Further, … telehealth follow-up visits after ED encounters were associated with higher rates of repeated hospital visits even after controlling for presentation acuity, comorbidities, and sociodemographic factors. Learn more about how the study was conducted and what it found in the JAMA Network [...]

iqtsupport2022-11-01T06:00:07-04:00November 1, 2022|Telehealth|

Federal Health Policy Update for the Week of September 5-12

The following is the latest health policy news from the federal government for the week of September 5-12. Some of the language used below is taken directly from government documents. The White House The White House has published a fact sheet on the administration’s plan to get Americans an updated COVID-19 shot and to manage COVID-19 this fall. The major components of the plan are providing access to free, updated vaccines; ensuring easy access to testing and treatment; encouraging safe practices; and preparing for potential surges and new variants. Find that fact sheet here. The White House’s COVID-19 response team [...]

iqtsupport2022-09-13T17:33:15-04:00September 13, 2022|340b, Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, CMMI, COVID-19, health equity, hospitals, MACPAC, Medicaid, Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission, Medicare, MedPAC, Telehealth|

Federal Health Policy Update for the Week of August 24 to September 2

The following is the latest health policy news from the federal government for the week of August 29 to September 2. Some of the language used below is taken directly from government documents. The White House The White House has introduced a new “National HIV Strategy” for 2022-2025. The new strategy updates the 2021 strategy and establishes targets for ending the HIV epidemic in the U.S. by 2030, including a 75 percent reduction in new HIV infections by 2025 and a 90 percent reduction by 2030. Find the strategy here. Proposed Changes in Medicaid, CHIP, and Basic Health Program Enrollment [...]

iqtsupport2022-09-06T15:25:17-04:00September 6, 2022|Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, COVID-19, MACPAC, Medicaid, Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission, Medicare reimbursement policy, MedPAC, post-acute care, Telehealth|

Federal Health Policy Update for Monday, August 8`

The following is the latest health policy news from the federal government as of 2:30 p.m. on Monday, August 8. Some of the language used below is taken directly from government documents. Congress On Sunday, the Senate passed the Democrats’ health care, climate, and tax bill, H.R. 5376, The Inflation Reduction Act, by a vote of 51-50, with Vice President Harris casting the tie-breaking vote. Health care provisions in the reconciliation bill include: allowing Medicare to negotiate prescription drug prices limiting out-of-pocket prescription drug costs for Medicare enrollees to $2,000 a year extending for three years enhanced Affordable Care Act [...]

iqtsupport2022-08-08T16:12:06-04:00August 8, 2022|Affordable Care Act, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Congress, COVID-19, deficit reduction, Medicaid, Medicare reimbursement policy, Telehealth|

Federal Health Policy Update for Wednesday, July 27

The following is the latest health policy news from the federal government as of 2:30 p.m. on Wednesday, July 27. Some of the language used below is taken directly from government documents. Final Medicare Payment Regulations for FY 2023 CMS has issued its final FY 2023 Medicare inpatient rehabilitation facility (IRF) payment system regulation, finalizing a rate increase of 3.9 percent, which is greater than the 2.8 percent the agency proposed in April. To learn more about CMS’s final IRF payment rule for FY 2023, see this CMS fact sheet and the final rule itself. CMS also has finalized its [...]

iqtsupport2022-07-27T17:34:40-04:00July 27, 2022|Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Congress, COVID-19, Medicaid, Medicaid long-term services and supports, Medicaid managed care, Medicare, Medicare post-acute care, Medicare regulations, Medicare reimbursement policy, MedPAC, post-acute care, Telehealth|

Federal Health Policy Update for Friday, June 3

The following is the latest health policy news from the federal government as of 2:30 p.m. on Friday, June 3. Some of the language used below is taken directly from government documents. White House The White House COVID-19 response coordinator and press secretary have held a briefing on the latest in the federal response to COVID-19. Find a transcript of that briefing here. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services HHS and CMS are notifying states that they now have an additional year – through March 31, 2025 – to use funding made available by the American Rescue Plan to enhance, [...]

iqtsupport2022-06-03T16:49:10-04:00June 3, 2022|Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, COVID-19, health equity, hospitals, Medicare, Telehealth|