Helpful Resources on using telehealth to respond to the the Covid-19 outbreak.

 

 

 

 

CDC's COVID-19 Resources

Center for Disease Control and Prevention Main COVID-19 Website:
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-nCoV/index.html 

CDC's Information for Healthcare Providers:
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/hcp/index.html 

Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP:
Alert regarding changes in federal law and reimbursements:

https://www.faegredrinker.com/en/insights/publications/2020/3/a-day-in-telehealth-history.

COVID-10 Resource Hub:
https://www.faegredrinker.com/en/insights/topics/coronavirus-covid-19-resource-center#Explore%20the%20Resource%20Center

Medicare & Medicaid

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) is using Section 1135 waiver authority to waive the originating site restrictions for telehealth encounters during this emergency. Effective March 6, CMS will reimburse for telehealth visits to Medicare patients whether the patient is in a health care facility or in their home. Please note that CMS indicates it will exercise "enforcement discretion" on the 3-year pre-existing relationship rule. CMS has also given Medicaid programs flexibility to allow for telehealth reimbursement without the federal government's permission. For more information, we suggest you review the following useful links from CMS.

CMS Newsroom: https://www.cms.gov/newsroom 


CMS Press Release Expanding Telehealth Benefits:

https://www.cms.gov/newsroom/press-releases/president-trump-expands-telehealth-benefits-medicare-beneficiaries-during-covid-19-outbreak

CMS Fact Sheet: https://www.cms.gov/newsroom/press-releases/president-trump-expands-telehealth-benefits-medicare-beneficiaries-during-covid-19-outbreak

CMS FAQs Released 3-17-20: https://edit.cms.gov/files/document/medicare-telehealth-frequently-asked-questions-faqs-31720.pdf

Guidance and information is being updated daily by many federal, state and local agencies. Here are some specific sites which may be useful to you:

US Department of Health & Human Services - Notification of Enforcement Discretion for telehealth remote communications during the COVID-19 nationwide public health emergency: https://www.hhs.gov/hipaa/for-professionals/special-topics/emergency-preparedness/notification-enforcement-discretion-telehealth/index.html

IDPH 's Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Site:

http://www.dph.illinois.gov/topics-services/diseases-and-conditions/diseases-a-z-list/coronavirus

Office of the Illinois Governor Executive Orders:
https://www2.illinois.gov/sites/GOV/Pages/default.aspx

Office of the Illinois Governor's News Room (Press Conferences): https://www2.illinois.gov/sites/gov/newsroom/Pages/default.aspx

Additional Resources:

American Telemedicine Association: https://info.americantelemed.org/covid-19-news-resources

Illinois Health & Hospital Association: https://www.team-iha.org/ Upper Midwest Telehealth Resource Center: https://www.umtrc.org/

 


CMS Reimbursement Updates for
Telehealth to Address COVID-19 Crisis

Medicare & Medicaid

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) is using Section 1135 waiver authority to waive the originating site restrictions for telehealth encounters during this emergency. Effective March 6, CMS will reimburse for telehealth visits to Medicare patients whether the patient is in a health care facility or in their home. Please note that CMS indicates it will exercise "enforcement discretion" on the 3-year pre-existing relationship rule. CMS has also given Medicaid programs flexibility to allow for telehealth reimbursement without the federal government's permission. For more information, we suggest you review the following useful links from CMS.

CMS Newsroom: https://www.cms.gov/newsroom 

CMS Press Release Expanding Telehealth Benefits:

https://www.cms.gov/newsroom/press-releases/president-trump-expands-telehealth-benefits-medicare-beneficiaries-during-covid-19-outbreak

CMS Fact Sheet: https://www.cms.gov/newsroom/press-releases/president-trump-expands-telehealth-benefits-medicare-beneficiaries-during-covid-19-outbreak 

CMS FAQs Released 3-17-20: https://edit.cms.gov/files/document/medicare-telehealth-frequently-asked-questions-faqs-31720.pdf 

Guidance and information is being updated daily by many federal, state and local agencies. Here are some specific sites which may be useful to you:

US Department of Health & Human Services - Notification of Enforcement Discretion for telehealth remote communications during the COVID-19 nationwide public health emergency: https://www.hhs.gov/hipaa/for-professionals/special-topics/emergency-preparedness/notification-enforcement-discretion-telehealth/index.html   


IDPH 's Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Site:

 http://www.dph.illinois.gov/topics-services/diseases-and-conditions/diseases-a-z-list/coronavirus

Office of the Illinois Governor Executive Orders:
https://www2.illinois.gov/sites/GOV/Pages/default.aspx 

Office of the Illinois Governor's News Room (Press Conferences): https://www2.illinois.gov/sites/gov/newsroom/Pages/default.aspx

Additional Resources:

American Telemedicine Association: https://info.americantelemed.org/covid-19-news-resources

Illinois Health & Hospital Association: https://www.team-iha.org/
Partnership for a Connected Illinois 1337 Wabash Ave. Springfield, IL 62704 Phone: (217) 886-4228 Fax: (217) 718-4546 info@broadbandillinois.org