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 »

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 »

Commentary: Time for Congress to Make Payments for Telehealth Happen

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The reason that telehealth usage among seniors in Medicare is almost non-existent is because the rules were written at a time when telehealth was used primarily to provide access to care for rural patients. To access a physician remotely, Medicare beneficiaries have to be in a rural area and in an “originating site” defined as… Read more »

Telehealth: An Important Tool in Achieving the Goals of the ACO Program and Why Restrictions Should Be Lifted in Final ACO Rule

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In the recently released proposed rule related to the accountable care organization (ACO) program1 (or Medicare Shared Savings Program, as it is formally known), the CMS contemplated allowing ACOs to utilize and be reimbursed for an important tool in better coordinating care, engaging patients, delivering services efficiently, and reducing costs: telehealth. Congress adopted the ACO… Read more »