The so-called "Doc Fix" bill may be heavily debated as to its merits, but a recent review of the new law finds that mHealth and telemedicine benefitted greatly.
The Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act (HR2), passed by Congress on April 15 and signed into law one day later, marks a noticeable shift away from the old fee-for-service model of healthcare and toward innovative care delivery systems, such as accountable care organizations, population health management programs and risk-based payment models.
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That’s should push mHealth and telemedicine initiatives front and center, says a National Law Review analysis.
"As organizations embracing telemedicine recognize, these new payment models are ideally suited to the improved access, quality and care management offered by telemedicine technologies," the analysis states. "The act is a signal to the provider community that embracing innovative care delivery, such as telemedicine and telehealth, is an important step to positioning your organization to best capture these new payment opportunities."
Among the provisions specifically targeting mHealth:
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- Remote patient monitoring and telehealth are now included in the definition of "clinical practice improvement activities," joining the likes of population health management, monitoring of health conditions and care coordination;
- So-called "alternative payment models" can now include payment for telemedicine, even if the service isn't covered under Medicare; and
- The GAO is required to conduct a study on telehealth and Medicare, as well as a second study on remote patient monitoring and Medicare, and publish both reports no later than April 2017.
"The act contains many provisions intended to promote innovation and care delivery by catalyzing healthcare organizations to invest in and use the powerful telemedicine tools and technologies available in the marketplace," the analysis concludes. "This vision is consistent with prior surveys of healthcare executive leadership. By continuing to develop their telemedicine programs and pursuing new payment options, leaders are showing they know that their smartest play is to be ready for the law to catch up — because it will."
[See also: Congress tries to tie telehealth expansion to Medicare reimbursements]
