By Julie Appleby – Maybe this has happened to you recently: Your doctor telephoned to check in with you, chatting for 11 to 20 minutes, perhaps answering a question you contacted her office with, or asking how you’re responding to a medication change. For that, your doctor got paid about $27 if you are on Medicare — maybe a bit more if you have private insurance.
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A new report from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services found that massive increases in the use of telehealth helped maintain some health care access during the COVID-19 pandemic, with specialists like behavioral health providers seeing the highest telehealth utilization relative to other providers.
By Jordan Rau – The federal government’s effort to penalize hospitals for excessive patient readmissions is ending its first decade with Medicare cutting payments to nearly half the nation’s hospitals. In its 10th annual round of penalties, Medicare is reducing its payments to 2,499 hospitals, or 47% of all facilities.
The Centers for Medicare and Medicare Services is rescinding the Medicare Coverage of Innovative Technology and Definition of “Reasonable and Necessary” (MCIT/R&N) final rule because of concerns that the provisions in the final rule may not have been sufficient to protect Medicare patients.
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has extended two deadlines affecting eligible hospitals and critical access hospitals participating in the Hospital Inpatient Quality Reporting Program and/or the Medicare Promoting Interoperability Program.
CAHs and EHs are required to participate in the Medicare Promoting Interoperability Program to successfully demonstrate meaningful use of certified EHR technology during the applicable reporting period to avoid a downward payment adjustment for a CAH or EH applicable payment year.
On August 2, 2021, CMS issued the Fiscal Year 2022 Inpatient Prospective Payment Systems for Acute Care Hospitals and the Long-Term Care Hospital Prospective Payment System Final Rule. In this final rule, CMS adopted policies that continue to focus on the advancement of CEHRT utilization and improve interoperability.
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has made significant strides in relieving regulatory burdens for providers; supporting the patient-doctor relationship in healthcare; and promoting transparency, flexibility, and innovation in the delivery of care.
The National Association of ACOs praises the work of congressional offices that saved important value-based payment incentives by including a provision in a year-end spending and COVID-relief bill.