In case you missed the news last month, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) made a proposal that was warmly received by the healthcare industry. CMS is considering permitting physician reimbursement for video chats and check-ins. The proposal would begin paying for virtual visits outside of rural areas of the United States. CMS also announced it would like to provide coverage for doctors who take the time to examine photos submitted by patients or those that monitor chronic conditions using a smartphone.
The CMS news is particularly welcome news for the elderly and disabled as transportation is considered a major hurdle in providing care for these patients. The proposal is not intended to act as a replacement for a traditional visit to a doctor’s office so much as it is meant to serve as a way to augment the visits and open new points of access for patients.
Should CMS ultimately embrace its proposal, it will be a major win for the ongoing embrace of telehealth, a term typically used to describe a series of methods for boosting health care, public health, and health education delivery and support using modern telecommunication technology.
This update is by Medical Accounts Systems, a full-service healthcare revenue cycle management company providing a number of services including insurance follow up and managed care disputes, physician reimbursement, extended business office services, and more. For additional information on our services or for any questions you may have on topics such as medical debt collection, please call 877-759-6315.