Health Systems Press CMS to Let Doctors Use Telehealth at Home

A key Medicare waiver that allows healthcare organizations to develop provider-friendly telehealth programs is set to expire at the end of the year, and advocates are lobbying feral officials to make it permanent. More than 110 organizations, supported by the American Telemedicine Association and including several large health systems, have signed a letter asking the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to extend a pandemic-era waiver that enables providers to bill Medicare for telehealth services delivered from their homes. The waiver allows health systems to design programs that allow their doctors to work from home, enabling more on-demand and 24/7 coverage and cutting administrative and operational costs associated with an in-house telehealth program that requires staff to be on-site or in operations centers. It also allows health systems to develop work-at-home policies to reduce workplace stress and burnout among staff and attract new physicians.

Medigy Insights

In the ever-evolving landscape of healthcare, as highlighted in the recent article titled "Health Systems Press CMS to Let Doctors Use Telehealth from Home," senior healthcare leaders should acknowledge the pivotal role of telehealth in modern healthcare delivery and advocate for policies that enable its effective use. The actionable guidance for senior healthcare leaders is to advocate for flexible telehealth regulations that empower physicians to provide remote care from their homes. In doing so, healthcare systems can harness the full potential of telehealth, expanding access to care while accommodating the preferences and needs of healthcare providers. This entails engaging in constructive dialogue with regulatory bodies and policymakers to craft guidelines that balance patient safety and provider convenience. By supporting these efforts, senior healthcare leaders can contribute to the realization of a more accessible and patient-centric healthcare system, driven by the opportunities presented by telehealth. This approach aligns with the dynamic changes in healthcare delivery and positions healthcare systems to adapt to the evolving needs of patients and providers alike.

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