Telehealth Policy Update

November 19, 2024

Telehealth Policy Update

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services issued the CY 2025 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule final rule and CY2025 Medicare Hospital Outpatient Prospective Payment System final rule, which include telehealth policies.

Absent Congressional action, the statutory limitations in place for Medicare telehealth services prior to the COVID-19 public health emergency will take effect for most telehealth services beginning January 1, 2025.

Click Here to Read More

Best Practices Guide: Using Telehealth in Hybrid Care

October 29, 2024

Best Practices Guide: Using Telehealth in Hybrid Care

A hybrid care approach uses a combination of virtual and in-person appointments to deliver appropriate care.

Hybrid telehealth, also called integrated care, combines in-person health care appointments with telehealth. This approach prioritizes the joint decision between the patient and their provider regarding whether and when a virtual visit is appropriate. A hybrid care approach offers flexible access to health care. This is especially useful for people who have difficulty getting to the provider’s office or need frequent care.

This best practice guide provides detailed information and resources for providers and health care organizations on how to use a hybrid care approach that integrates telehealth and in-person care.

What’s in the guide:

How to get started
Developing a strategy for hybrid care
Billing for hybrid care services
Preparing patients for hybrid care

Click Here to Access the Guide

Licensure Compacts: Increasing Access to Behavioral Health Care

October 29, 2024

Licensure Compacts: Increasing Access to Behavioral Health Care

Telehealth plays a significant role in meeting the need for behavioral health services and behavioral health professionals are subject to state licensure regulations, including for telehealth.

Learn how licensure compacts can improve access to behavioral health care.

Click Here to Watch the Video

Click Here to Learn more about Licensure Compacts

Click Here to Learn more about Licensure for Behavioral Health

Lunch and Learn Webinar: What is ECHO? July 8

June 26, 2024

Lunch and Learn Webinar: What is ECHO? July 8

Dive into learning about Show-Me ECHO (Extension for Community Health Outcomes).

This lunch-and-learn webinar will be hosted by Missouri Telehealth Network and Show-Me ECHO.

Registration is Required.

Cost: Free

When: Monday, July 8, 12:00 – 1:00 CT

Click Here to Register

Federally Qualified Health Center Telehealth Policies Fact Sheet

May 31, 2024

Federally Qualified Health Center Telehealth Policies Fact Sheet

The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) National Policy Telehealth Resource Center released a fact sheet to help Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) navigate Medicaid telehealth reimbursement.

Find updated information and policies for Spring 2024

View Telehealth Policies and FQHC Fact Sheet

Center for Connected Health Policy

HIPAA and Privacy Concerns: Telehealth Technology Considerations

February 6, 2024

HIPAA and Privacy Concerns: Telehealth Technology Considerations

The telehealth platform you use should meet HIPAA requirements.

All telehealth services provided by covered health care providers and health plans must comply with the HIPAA Rules.

This means only using technology vendors that comply with HIPAA Rules and will enter into HIPAA business associate agreements .

Resources:

Office of Compliance Regulation (OCR)
- Guidance on HIPAA and Audio-only Telehealth
- HIPAA and Telehealth – Privacy & Security
Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA)
- Telehealth Privacy Tips for Providers

Trainings by American Institute of Healthcare Compliance (AIHC)

Telehealth Resources for Patients and Providers

November 17, 2023

Telehealth Resources for Patients and Providers

Last month the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office for Civil Rights (OCR) released two new resources for patients to increase understanding around protecting health information when receiving health care services via telehealth. The first document is more extensive and geared toward providers informing patients, while the second contains direct recommendations to patients:

Provider Resource

Educating Patients about Privacy and Security Risks to Protected Health Information when Using Remote Communication Technologies for Telehealth

Patient Resource

Telehealth Privacy and Security Tips for Patients

The guidance documents are intended to help educate patients about potential privacy risks when using telehealth and ways to mitigate such risks.

Patient and Provider Featured Telehealth Resources

October 17, 2023

Patient and Provider Featured Telehealth Resources

Want to learn more about telehealth? Need resources to guide your organization towards telehealth? Telehealth.HHS.gov shares trusted telehealth resources for patients and providers.

Resources for Providers Include:

Getting started with telehealth
- How to evaluate telehealth vendors and begin offering care through telemedicine
Planning your telehealth workflow
- How to set up and manage a workflow for virtual visits
Health equity in telehealth
- How health care providers can improve access to telehealth for all populations
Preparing patients for telehealth
- From scheduling to privacy, learn how to prepare your patients for virtual appointments to ensure their comfort and high quality care
Telehealth policy
- Telehealth policy resources for health care providers and organizations
Billing for telehealth
- Reimbursements for telehealth continue to evolve. Find resources on billing and reimbursement for Medicare, Medicaid, and private insurers
Licensure
- Telehealth licensure requirements vary at the federal, state, and cross-state levels for health care providers
Legal considerations
- Read about the legal considerations for providing care through telehealth, including information on privacy and security, informed consent, and liability and malpractice
Best practice guides
- Learn how to incorporate telehealth into your practice. Get resources and tips focused on different specialties and delivery models including telebehavioral health, telehealth for direct-to-consumer care, and telehealth for emergency departments.

Resources for Patients Include:

2023 National Telehealth Conference – Recorded Sessions Now Available

October 17, 2023

2023 National Telehealth Conference – Recorded Sessions Now Available

The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) has released the recorded sessions from the September 2023 National Telehealth Conference.

Watch individual sessions from the 2023 National Telehealth Conference:

Opening Remarks – Watch to hear more on the Health Resources and Services Administration’s (HRSA) telehealth priorities and support for telehealth.
Leading the Way in Telehealth – Leaders from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ HRSA and Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services reviewed efforts to increase access to telehealth services.
Beyond Telehealth: Improving Access to Underserved Communities – Experts discussed key telehealth priorities to increase access to health care through telehealth for the underserved.
Improving Access to Telehealth and Broadband Services – This session provided an overview of federal efforts and resources to improve access to broadband, mainly for rural communities. Broadband is needed to deliver telehealth services.
Using Telehealth to Strengthen the Health Care Workforce – This session talked about the importance of telehealth in strengthening the health care workforce. Experts share work being done to help providers use telehealth and things to consider for training the future workforce.
Telehealth’s Role in Behavioral Health Access and Outcomes – Providers and experts discussed telehealth’s role in increasing access to behavioral health services. They also review integrating behavioral and physical health services.
Telehealth Trends and Research – This session highlighted recent telehealth research and discussed how it helps incorporate telehealth into the standard of care.

Equum Medical Launches the Lighthouse Series: Inspiring Success Stories in Telehealth and Healthcare Transformation

August 25, 2023

Equum Medical Launches the Lighthouse Series: Inspiring Success Stories in Telehealth and Healthcare Transformation

Equum Medical’s Lighthouse Series™ demonstrates telehealth’s positive impact on hospitals, enhancing staffing, patient safety, and revenue. These success stories showcase acute care telehealth services, aiding hospital staff, providing expertise, and efficiently transferring patients.

Telehealth addresses critical challenges like ED capacity, ICU mortality, and clinician burnout, offering accessible care and cost reduction. Dr. Scurlock, Equum’s CEO, highlights the need to share these stories for broader adoption.

The series offers insights and strategies for implementing telehealth, emphasizing its potential for positive healthcare change. It’s a resource for professionals to grasp telehealth’s applications and impact on outcomes.

Karsten Russell-Wood, CMO, envisions the series as evidence of telehealth’s effectiveness during industry transformation. Equum Medical’s active involvement in industry associations furthers access to telehealth insights for hospitals.

Category: Telehealth Medicine