Resources & Reports

CCHP’s May Newsletter is here! This month’s topics include – Two-Year Extension of Medicare Telehealth Flexibilities; Exploring Telehealth and Medicare Advantage: Insights from CMS’s Latest Final Rule; AMA CPT Editorial Panel Considers Modifying RPM Codes in Significant Ways; CMS Provides Telehealth Guidance for Electronic Clinical Quality Measures (eCQMs); Latest Policy Developments in CCHP’s Telehealth Policy Finder and Policy Trends Map; Joint Commission Sets New Telehealth Standards Amid Industry Certification Wave; CCHP Releases FQHC Factsheet & Alert of End of FQHC Section in CCHP Telehealth Policy Finder; Analyzing Trends and Impacts of E-Visit Billing in Medicare. 

Late last month, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) published final rules (CMS-2439-F) related to Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) managed care.

A new study published in Health Affairs assesses the impact of telehealth health system use on Medicare utilization, spending, and quality. The focus of the findings on Medicare patients and data from 2019-2022 shows the impact of temporary federal telehealth policy expansions that were implemented in 2020 at the beginning of the Public Health Emergency (PHE) and are currently extended until December 31, 2024. Overall, the research found that health systems with higher telemedicine use had greater medication adherence rates and fewer emergency department visits, with a 2.2 percent increase in outpatient visits and a 1.6 percent increase in spending.

As the end-of-the-year expiration date (December 31, 2024) for current telehealth expansions at the federal Medicare level approaches, two additional hearings and meetings held earlier this month offer insight on how federal policymakers may be contemplating future Medicare telehealth policy. On April 10, 2024, the House Energy and Commerce (E&C) Health Subcommittee held a hearing to discuss “Legislative Proposals to Support Patient Access to Telehealth Services.” Additionally, on April 11, 2024, the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC) meeting reviewed telehealth utilization research and MedPAC Commissioners similarly discussed potential permanent telehealth policies. While there continues to be broad support of expanding telehealth access, both events highlighted some policy sticking points, such as concerns around continuing payment parity for all Medicare services.