Telehealth

Thirty-five senators signed a July 2 letter to HHS and CMS, urging the agencies to release details about its plans for telehealth since regulations were lifted during the coronavirus pandemic.

The Department of Veterans Affairs awarded Philips a 10-year, $100 million contract to expand VA's critical care telehealth program, according to a July 8 news release. 

Missouri Gov. Mike Parson announced July 2 a new $50 million program to expand broadband internet access for healthcare, education and workforce development across the state, according to Missourinet.

Colorado Gov. Jared Polis signed a bill July 6 to permanently expand telehealth coverage and services statewide, according to the Southeast Express.

While telehealth has helped carry out patient care for conditions ranging from diabetes to heart disease during the pandemic, the technology does not always meet the needs of patients equally, according to Dr. Meera Sunder.   

Telehealth claim lines increased by 8,336 percent from April 2019 to April 2020, according to FAIR Health's most recent analysis of healthcare insurance trends.

CMS Administrator Seema Verma reiterated the success of telehealth during the pandemic and said the agency continues to weigh multiple factors when deciding how to implement permanent telehealth coverage and reimbursement rates, including the potential for fraud, during an interview…

After changing policies to cover telehealth more broadly during the pandemic, some insurers are scaling it back even as COVID-19 cases surge in some states, according to USA Today.

Only 31 percent of hospitals and health systems are using capabilities within their EHR systems to conduct telehealth visits, according to a recent Sage Growth Partners report.

Bloomington, Minn.-based HealthPartners is investing in expanded telemedicine and digital capabilities while closing seven clinics and two specialty centers permanently, according to a local ABC affiliate.