On April 18, 2019, Arizona Governor Doug Ducey signed a new law expanding insurance coverage for telehealth services, including asynchronous telemedicine and remote patient monitoring. The Arizona Legislature passed, nearly unanimously (79-1), SB 1089, ensuring that commercial health plans will cover medical services delivered in-person or via telemedicine. The law becomes effective January 1, 2021 and…… Continue reading this entry
New Mexico lawmakers passed new legislation designed to close gaps in the state’s current telehealth insurance coverage law, provide coverage clarity to patients, and ensure payment parity to in-network health care providers. The Legislature passed, nearly unanimously (98-1), legislation ensuring that commercial health plans will cover medical services delivered in-person or via telemedicine. The bill now heads…… Continue reading this entry
CMS just announced a clarification that remote patient monitoring under CPT code 99457 may be furnished by auxiliary personnel, “incident to” the billing practitioner’s professional services. An “incident to” service is one that is performed under the supervision of a physician (broadly defined), and billed to Medicare in the name of the physician, subject to…… Continue reading this entry
Virginia lawmakers have taken new steps to expand the use of remote patient monitoring among the State’s residents, with both the House and Senate unanimously passing bipartisan legislation ensuring that commercial health plans and the Virginia Medicaid program will cover remote patient monitoring services. The bill now heads to the office of Governor Ralph Northam…… Continue reading this entry
On January 9, 2019, the American Telemedicine Association (ATA) issued a policy comment letter to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), advocating for provider-friendly changes to federal controlled substance prescribing rules. Note: the firm’s Telemedicine & Digital Health Industry Team participated in the ATA’s special workgroup to develop the recommendations. The letter offers recommendations for DEA’s…… Continue reading this entry
Starting January 1, 2019, the Medicare program will cover certain medical services delivered via asynchronous telemedicine technologies. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) just published the final rule for the 2019 Physician Fee Schedule, introducing a new code, officially titled “Remote Evaluation of Pre-Recorded Patient Information” (HCPCS code G2010). This article provides the…… Continue reading this entry
Telemedicine providers rejoice: Medicare will cover new virtual care services starting January 1, 2019. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) just published the final rule for the 2019 Physician Fee Schedule, introducing a new code: Virtual Check-Ins, officially titled “Brief Communication Technology-Based Service” (HCPCS code G2012). This article discusses the new code and…… Continue reading this entry
Remote Patient Monitoring (RPM) is the next big thing in medical care; patients just don’t know it yet. And, it seems, neither do many physicians. On Thursday, CMS published the final rule on its new RPM codes, officially titled “Chronic Care Remote Physiologic Monitoring.” There are three new RPM codes, all of which will go live starting January 1, 2019. These codes…… Continue reading this entry
Earlier this year, in a first-of-its-kind move, CMS made remote patient monitoring (RPM) a separately-reimbursable service under Medicare. Now, CMS has proposed three new codes for RPM services, retitled “Chronic Care Remote Physiologic Monitoring,” which do a far better job reflecting how providers can more effectively and efficiently use RPM technology to monitor and manage…… Continue reading this entry
Connecticut has taken another step towards expanding the meaningful use of telemedicine in connection with treatment of mental health and substance use disorders. SB 302, signed by Governor Dannel Malloy and effective July 1, 2018, allows providers to prescribe controlled substances via telemedicine for the treatment of psychiatric disabilities or substance use disorder, including medication…… Continue reading this entry