Telehealth services have been growing across the healthcare industry, and payers are taking note by aligning reimbursement with where providers are headed.
In last week’s CY 2019 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (PFS) Final Rule, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) expanded Medicare reimbursement opportunities for virtual visits and technology-based communications. To learn more about what changes are on the horizon, stay tuned for a forthcoming analysis of the 2019 PFS, which will be announced through MGMA Government Affair’s Washington Connection newsletter next Wednesday.
A Nov. 6, 2018 MGMA Stat poll asked healthcare leaders what impact they think telehealth will have on their organization. About 48% responded they believe it will be positive, compared to 6% who responded it will be negative, 23% who believed it would have no impact and 23% who were unsure. The poll had 1,261 applicable responses.
Respondents who noted that telehealth will have a positive impact on their organization pointed to a range of benefits focused on patient-centered care:
- Adding more visits increases patient access to care, especially for patients in rural areas or areas with adverse winter weather conditions
- Makes it easier for patients to connect with a specialist
- Reduces wait times and no-shows, as well as increases parking spaces outside a practice
Among those who had a negative view, reasons included concerns with reimbursement and that patient care would become fragmented and lead to poorer outcomes.
MGMA Stat is a national poll that addresses practice management issues, the impact of new legislation and related topics. Participation is open to all healthcare leaders. See results of other polls and information on how to participate in MGMA Stat.
Learn more
- Keep in the know with MGMA's Government Affairs on Medicare Physician Reimbursement
- Successfully implementing a telehealth program begins with a clear vision of each step of the process, especially the crucial first few steps. Starting strong can make all the difference. Learn from MGMA’s newest consultant and telehealth expert Rachel Dixon during the MGMA member-exclusive webinar, “Telehealth From Scratch: A Deep Dive into Planning and Implementation,” at 1 p.m. ET, Nov. 27, 2018. This webinar is eligible for ACMPE, ACHE (live only), CPE (live only) and CEU credit.
- Telehealth: Adoption and Best Practices, an MGMA Research & Analysis report, identifies the rationale and best practices for starting a telehealth program and is free to download for MGMA members.
- Read key takeaways from the Research & Analysis report and access a member-exclusive telehealth startup checklist.
- The Center for Connected Health Policy (CCHP) maintains an up-to-date, searchable database of current telehealth laws and policies, as well as pending legislation and regulations for all 50 states and the District of Columbia.
Authored by MGMA staff
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