Telehealth
Since the COVID-19 pandemic began, U.S. providers have transitioned one-third or more of their in-person care to telemedicine, signaling a shift in the patient experience and consumer expectations for convenience of care, according to Jessica Dudley, MD, and Iyue Sung.
The Federal Communications Commission awarded $9.2 billion Dec. 7 to fund the development of high-speed broadband networks for more than 10 million rural Americans across the country.
Stony Brook (N.Y.) Medicine will use a $966,026 award from the FCC's COVID-19 Telehealth Program to provide digital devices and remote monitoring equipment to individuals in need to participate in virtual care visits.
The Massachusetts Association of Health Plans is sponsoring an 18-month study to examine how access to telehealth services during the COVID-19 pandemic has varied based on race, ethnicity and socioeconomic factors, according to a Dec. 2 news release.
HHS will continue to allow clinicians to provide telehealth services across state lines for covered services, including diagnostic tests, to fight the spread of COVID-19.
The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the adoption of telehealth at many U.S. hospitals and prompted temporary federal regulatory changes that allowed organizations greater flexibility in this area.
In collaboration with Teladoc
New Hyde Park, N.Y.-based Northwell Health is partnering with virtual care and communication platform Conversa Health to launch a COVID-19 screening tool for employers and schools across the state, according to a Dec. 3 news release.
Across the U.S., telehealth claim lines fell 16.5 percent from 6.07 percent in August to 5.07 percent in September, according to data released Dec. 1 from healthcare cost data organization Fair Health.
CMS released the 2021 physician fee schedule Dec. 1 with expanded telehealth services, remote physiologic monitoring updates and an extension for telecommunications tech supervision.
CMS released the 2021 physician fee schedule Dec. 1 with expanded telehealth services.