Carpe Diem: Seizing New Opportunities to Shape Medicare Payment

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The Centers of Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released its proposed CY2016 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule on July 8. While this proposed rule always covers a wide range of significant payment issues, it has special weight this year, signaling the beginning of extensive rulemaking to implement the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act (MACRA) passed… Read more »

Virtual Care Identified as “Deflator” of Health Care Costs

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PwC’s Health Research Institute (HRI) issued its annual projection of the coming year’s health care cost growth. Unfortunately, 2016 is no different than previous years. HRI projects a rise of 6.5 percent in medical cost trend, which continues a leveling of the increases we’ve seen since 2007, but it is still an increase. HRI analyzed… Read more »

The Role of Policy in Hindering Telemedicine’s Progress

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The Los Angeles Convention Center is abuzz this week with discussions about the future of patient care as the American Telemedicine Association brings together entrepreneurs, technology and device companies, health systems, and others for their annual meeting. Treating patients is no longer restricted to regular office hours and judging by the exhibit hall at the… Read more »

2015: Another Unstoppable Year for Telehealth

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Offering telehealth to employees or health plan beneficiaries used to be a differentiator in benefits – an added perk for employees or health care consumers increasingly demanding convenience and accessibility. Today, it is rapidly becoming a necessary addition to benefit packages. Not only do employees and prospective health plan enrollees want it, but it’s also… Read more »

Is Ohio About to be a Model for Federal Telemedicine Reimbursement?

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The time for telemedicine reimbursement in our country is now. Telemedicine has gone beyond just being a solution for rural consumers who cannot access medical care. It has continually been shown to improve access to care in urban, suburban and rural areas. It also reduces emergency department and urgent care visits, and gives consumers a… Read more »