Take Advantage of The CMS Telehealth Ruling Now!

Due to the current pandemic, the healthcare industry has not focused much on CMS’s final physician fee schedule and telehealth expansion. The upcoming year provides a 10% pay decrease while expanding telehealth services. Health systems must shift their business models towards a “virtual first” mentality to improve the patient experience while aligning with the telehealth reimbursement model.

The key takeaway of the rule is that CMS finalized an expanded list of telehealth services, mostly temporarily. Make a bet as an organization that the allowable telehealth service will be a permanent care delivery feature. Health systems must redesign their operating model around the virtual model.

Audio-Only

There is a final interim billing code for audio-only telehealth service after PHE (public health emergency) period. Emphasis should be on video visit transitioning away from audio-only telehealth. Providers must have the ability to see their patients while delivering the telehealth service visually.

RPM

Remote patient monitoring (RPM) is a game-changer as CMS finalized RPM clarifications requiring established patient relationship after the public health emergency (PHE) and permitting physicians and non-physicians to furnish RPM services. Four takeaways from the RPM…