Virtual care news, trends and reimbursement updates
Telehealth news covering program growth, utilization and payment. Becker's tracks telehealth reimbursement policy at the federal and state level and how virtual care fits into health system strategy.
Telehealth
The United Health Foundation, UnitedHealth Group's philanthropic arm, is partnering with The Health Wagon, a Wise, Va.-based free clinic for the underserved areas of the Appalachian region.
University of Alabama at Birmingham is using a $200,000 grant awarded by the Appalachian Regional Commission to develop telehealth sites at two remote Alabama hospitals.
Red Bluff, Calif.-based St. Elizabeth Community Hospital will deploy a new telemedicine intensive care unit program Sept. 3 that uses a robot to connect staff hospitalists with Dignity Health specialists, Red Bluff Daily News reports.
Hawaii physicians Neel Chauhan, MD, and Cedric Strong, MD, launched a telemedicine service that allows patients to schedule and complete appointments through video chat on their mobile device, Hawaii News Now reports.
Memorial Health System in Marietta, Ohio, unveiled its new mobile application that allows patients to participate in virtual visits with their provider, NBC affiliate WTAP reports.
Knoxville, Tenn.-based Covenant Health is increasing its use of telemedicine technology at various locations, News-Herald reports.
Shoppers at Texas-based H-E-B grocery stores can now purchase telehealth visits for as much as $50 while buying produce.
Amerigroup Texas in now offering Medicaid recipients telehealth visits for medical and behavioral healthcare at no cost.
Cleveland Clinic's efforts to grow its patient population will be largely supported by the health system's telehealth visits, which it completed 46,000 of last year, according to Cleveland.com.
Visibly, a Chicago-based startup offering virtual eye exams, has halted its online testing after the FDA issued a class 2 device recall Aug. 8.