The American Medical Association this week resolved to continue advocating for telehealth after the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly among underserved communities. After physicians and medical students gathered virtually for five days, delegates adopted a policy directing the AMA to continue working with legislators and regulators to support telehealth advancements.
Jacob Reider, M.D., CEO of the Alliance for Better Health and former acting national coordinator for health IT, said during an event hosted by Fierce Healthcare that public health organizations need to be a part of the conversation, but it's crucial to be cognizant of where they are in terms of ability to share data.
The coronavirus vaccine developed by Pfizer and BioNTech was strongly effective in preventing COVID-19 among study volunteers given the shot, early results announced by the companies Monday show, giving a pandemic-wracked world a glimpse of life after quarantines, travel restrictions, masks and school closures.
CMS said Wednesday that "most private health plans" will be required to cover an approved COVID-19 vaccine and its administration with no cost-sharing from in-network and out-of-network providers once the shot is recommended by a CDC panel. This was mandated by Congress in the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act passed in March. Medicare will also cover a future vaccine at no cost to beneficiaries and...
The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) began using its new electronic health record (EHR) system Oct. 24 at select VA facilities in the Pacific Northwest and Las Vegas, marking the beginning of a transformation in how VA delivers care to Veterans.
CMS said Wednesday it is adding 11 new virtual care services for the first time in five months, including cardiac and pulmonary rehab. Since the emergency was declared in March, the agency has added more than 135 new virtual care services to what's covered under fee-for-service Medicare, including ER visits and initial inpatient and nursing facility visits.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture is offering $72 million in grants to support telemedicine and distance learning opportunities in rural parts of the U.S. USDA will fund 116 projects through its Distance Learning and Telemedicine grant program, which helps healthcare and educational institutions purchase the equipment and software needed to rollout virtual health and learning services.
FDA on Tuesday announced the creation of a digital health center within the Center for Devices and Radiological Health where it will coordinate policy and regulatory approaches tailored for the technologies. Bakul Patel, who has led the agency's digital health regulatory and scientific efforts for the past decade, was named the center's first director.
On Wednesday, CMS announced the availability of up to $165 million in supplemental funding to states currently operating Money Follows the Person (MFP) demonstration programs. MFP programs allow certain Medicaid users, including older adults, to more seamlessly transition from a nursing home or institution back into the home, only if they desire to do so.
Medicare recently told participants in its largest bundled payments program about big changes that will go into effect in less than four months. The changes may lead some to drop out, advisers warn.
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