Telehealth

Miami-based Florida International University received a $50,000 grant to study the use of telemedicine during the COVID-19 pandemic and address health disparities among low-income and uninsured patients in South Florida.

The Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee this week expressed support to make certain telehealth Medicare policies that were expanded during the COVID-19 pandemic permanent. 

A new study published in the JAMA Open Network identifies characteristics of patients who are more likely to choose telemedicine over office visits with the same primary care clinicians. 

Prior to COVID-19, CMS only covered telehealth in specific regions and circumstances with rates lower than in-person visits. However, the agency has made several provisions since March, including allowing coverage of audio-only visits and boosting reimbursement rates.

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo signed a bill June 17 that will expand the types of telemedicine services covered under Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program, Bloomberg reports. 

Twenty healthcare leaders from organizations including Kaiser Permanente and Humana established the Taskforce on Telehealth Policy to develop long-term recommendations for virtual care. 

The Federal Communications Commission approved its 11th wave of COVID-19 telehealth program applications, granting another $23.25 million to 62 healthcare providers across the country.

Target announced June 17 it will begin offering free access to telemedicine visits for employees through the end of the year.

Telehealth became a necessary tool for health systems and patients across the U.S. during the COVID-19 pandemic to access needed healthcare remotely.

CMS Administrator Seema Verma penned an op-ed for CNN outlining how her agency is thinking about the future of healthcare as the pandemic progresses.