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
Telehealth startup Cerebral has been accused of prescribing minors prescriptions without the consent of their parents, The Wall Street Journal reported Sept. 29.
The federal government needs to take stronger action in informing Medicare patients about their rights to privacy and security surrounding their medical and health data as telehealth visits continue to surge, according to a Sept. 26 Government Accountability Office report.
Fort Myers, Fla.-based Lee Health is closing offices and offering a reduced $20 charge for telehealth appointments due to Hurricane Ian, according to a notice from the health system published Sept. 27 Sanibel Captiva.
The COVID-19 pandemic forced physicians to deliver telehealth care, and while patients may appreciate the convenience of virtual care, there are challenges for physicians used to providing in-person treatment.
Telehealth company Teladoc is providing free virtual care services to individuals and first responders in Florida impacted by Hurricane Ian.
New York City-based Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center is collaborating with Microsoft and other tech companies on a telemedicine platform that has delivered more than 200,000 appointments since launching in August 2021.
Students in Prince George's County, Md., will now have access to medical services through a partnership with telehealth company Hazel Health, according to a Sept. 21 report by WTOP News.
With the shift to digital and telehealth that accelerated during the pandemic, providers have to accurately diagnose and treat diseases in patients who they may only see over a computer screen.
Curative, a startup that offers testing and telehealth services, has laid off 109 employees, according to a state filing in California.
Colorado's Department of Corrections telehealth program for inmates has grown since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, when it was primarily used for psychiatry, according to Sept. 20 reporting in GCN.