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

The alarming news about potential research misconduct can come in a variety of ways: a negative report in Retraction Watch, an anonymous “Clare Francis” letter, or a tip on the employee hotline. Regardless of the source, every institution must take each allegation seriously, especially if it involves research funded with federal dollars. Not only can a…… Continue reading this entry

President Trump just signed into law the “Special Registration for Telemedicine Act of 2018” (the Act), requiring the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) to activate a special registration allowing physicians and nurse practitioners to prescribe controlled substances via telemedicine without an in-person exam. The DEA has no more than one year to complete the task. Until…… Continue reading this entry

On November 6, 2018, when Massachusetts voters go to the polls to select a new Governor and other key elected officers, they will also consider Ballot Question 1, which will mandate rigid registered nurse staffing ratios for hospitals across the Commonwealth effective as of January 1, 2019. This proposal would make Massachusetts the second state…… Continue reading this entry

The following is a wake-up call to all employers, especially those in the health care industry, that have adopted “zero tolerance policies.” These policies will increasingly butt up against the tidal wave of laws legalizing the medical and recreational use of marijuana.  In a just-decided case, a federal judge in Connecticut issued a ruling in…… Continue reading this entry

As telemedicine continues to see significant traction, health care organizations are working to implement telemedicine programs and  create technology infrastructures all while working within the current legislative requirements. Foley & Lardner LLP and Ziegler recently had an opportunity to sit down with 15 leaders in telemedicine to discuss the progress, barriers, and return on investment…… Continue reading this entry

Hospitals with off-campus provider-based departments (PBDs) may want to rethink their end of summer vacation plans in order to focus on a recent slate of proposed regulations from the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) that seek to rein in Medicare reimbursement for outpatient hospital services – including at excepted/grandfathered off-campus locations. On July…… Continue reading this entry

Just what is reasonable compensation in the Medicare world is not a clearly defined, black and white concept. Instead, it is somewhat in the eye of the beholder, with the parties to each situation where that is an issue seeking to reach out for third party support for their conclusions. But sometimes when the government…… Continue reading this entry

On July 12, 2018, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued a proposed rule introducing changes to the Medicare physician fee schedule, and soliciting comments from providers on CMS data sharing initiatives.  In the proposed rule, CMS requests comments on methods to promote the exchange of health care information between health care providers,…… Continue reading this entry