This year, telehealth services has been a profound method for patients to connect with providers, making it especially easy and efficient due to the restraints of access due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This year, telehealth visits have increased from 14% (pre-pandemic) to 57% and has increased to 77% for patients with a chronic illness. The [...]
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) announced that telehealth reimbursement rates will be reviewed and assessed after the COVID-19 pandemic to make telehealth expansion permanent. CMS Administrator Seema Verma stated in a blog post that telehealth services that were expanded and implemented during the pandemic may be made permanent. In order to make [...]
Due to massive job losses resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic, the Affordable Care Act (ACA) exchanges could be adding over 1 million new enrollees. The COVID-19 pandemic has caused job losses across the country, with about 10% unemployment rates in almost all states, causing people to lose their health insurance coverage through their employer and [...]
During this current COVID-19 pandemic, physician practices across the country are experiencing significant challenges that have sprung up quickly. Significant financial challenges have burdened many practices, with most reporting significant financial impacts on revenue and in patient volume. These financial struggles have forced many physician practices to go to drastic measures and layoff or furlough [...]
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) released on Sunday a set of guidelines on how hospitals are allowed to reopen for non-emergent non-COVID-19 healthcare amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. The guidelines show how hospitals can offer services for patients while at the same time being open to treating patients with COVID-19. To slowly transition [...]
In a survey from the National Association of ACOs, fifty six percent of risk-bearing ACOs stated that they are likely to drop out of the Medicare shared savings program. Most of these ACOs that are taking on downside risks are concerned that they may bear financial losses, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. One concern that [...]
According to the statistics from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, open enrollment signups is still growing, but is not as substantial as previous years' enrollment. Currently, it is Week 3 of open enrollment, which officially began on November 1, 2019, and the enrollment count is down by 13% compared to last year's numbers. [...]
According to a recent federal research study, Medicare beneficiaries are feeling the cost burden that is resulting from the consolidation of hospital systems and independent physician practices. These enrollees are paying more for their healthcare, as the hospital-physician systems are raising prices for insurers. Health systems are actively pursuing purchasing physician practices to integrate into [...]
Health insurance plans in the Affordable Care Act (ACA) exchange will experience a decline in premiums in 2020 although the health insurance marketplace will offer more plan choices. This will be the second year running that health insurance premiums on the ACA exchange will have a decrease. The marketplace is going to get larger, with [...]
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services have reported savings from their Medicare Shared Savings Program. According to new agency data, the CMS has retained a savings amount totaling $739.4 million in 2018. Compared to 2017, the CMS only saved a total of $314 million from the Medicare Shared Savings Program. Although more ACOs had [...]