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States are pouring billions into remote monitoring and virtual care infrastructure to address rural access gaps, but federal reimbursement changes could undermine the financial model many providers use to deliver those services. In July, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) proposed changes to remote physiologic monitoring (RPM) and remote therapeutic monitoring (RTM) reimbursement that stakeholders say would make many programs difficult to sustain. Under the draft rule, Medicare will only allow payment for RPM or RTM services when furnished by clinical staff employed by the practice, effective January 1, 2027.
An evaluation by the Peterson Health Technology Institute (PHTI) found no consistent evidence that virtual chronic kidney disease (CKD) management solutions slow disease progression or reduce overall healthcare spending across the population of covered patients. The report recommends that health plans and CMS should prioritize earlier diagnosis and focus on getting patients on the right medications—many of which it says are proven, generic, and under-prescribed.
Shadow AI Is the Fastest Growing Force in Medicine, and Hospitals Are the Only Ones Who Can Control It
Across the United States, physicians are increasingly turning to “free” AI to manage the growing demands of modern medicine. And their health systems do not have the resources to integrate an institutional AI in the way that you would expect. Too often, doctors respond by using generic, free AI tools on their own, without institutional oversight or support. This practice, commonly referred to as “shadow AI,” is no longer rare. A recent survey found that a majority of frontline health care workers now use generic, free AI solutions for work at least once a month, and almost 40 percent used AI at least once a week.
HHS Awards Nearly $25 Million to Strengthen Small Rural Hospitals
On Thursday, September 10, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), through the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), announced awards totaling nearly $25 million to 132 hospitals through the Rural Hospital Provider Assistance Program to help eligible small rural hospitals maintain their medical workforce, sustain essential healthcare services, and strengthen access to care for the communities they serve across 13 states.
At CTA event, federal health officials outline AI ambitions as clinicians debate risks
Federal healthcare agencies are accelerating efforts to expand artificial intelligence's role in healthcare, with clinical AI emerging as a top strategic priority for the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. A centerpiece of CMS' AI strategy is the ACCESS model—Advancing Chronic Care with Effective, Scalable Solutions. Announced in December and launched in July, ACCESS is a new 10-year program for value-based chronic condition management that leans heavily on technology and AI to scale to large populations of patients.
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