The coronavirus pandemic caused much disruption in the medical industry, but there was a silver lining: According to a report released by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), telehealth visits under Medicare increased to 52.7 million in 2020, up from only 840,000 the previous year. Interestingly, most of the visits — 92% — occurred in the home of the beneficiary, which typically was not permitted before COVID-19. This represents a 63-fold increase in the utilization of telehealth under Medicare, but new reports are showing that overall use of this technology has increased by 38% as compared to the pre-COVID era. 

There is an overall use of consumers and providers to use telehealth to bridge care needs and now Congress has stepped in to facilitate the move to a more virtual care model with the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2022. This act extends flexibility for telehealth providers serving Medicare patients for another 151 days after the federal public health emergency (PHE) has ended. The Act will also enable Congress to further extend the use of telehealth, possibly including permanent changes to policies. 

How the New Flexibilities in Telehealth Work — And How to Take Advantage of Them

The telehealth industry is rapidly expanding as virtual care is becoming more common and more desired by both patients and care providers. Investment in virtual care and telehealth technologies have fueled even more innovation in the field and the range of services offered — from virtual urgent care to a hybrid virtual/in-person model is on the increase. 

The Details of the New Telehealth Act

While the new Act is just a small part of the telehealth expansion movement, it is significant as it relates to the many individuals covered by Medicare. Specifically, the Act ensures that:

• Medicare will continue to pay for telehealth services that are provided to patients who are at home.
• The list of telehealth practitioners will be expanded to include not only nurses, doctors, and physicians’ assistants, but also physical therapists, occupational therapists, audiologists, and even speech-language pathologists.
• There will be payment for telehealth that is audio-only as well as audio-visual modalities.
• The in-person initial visit for mental health services is waived for ongoing telehealth visits.
• Rural clinics and federally qualified health centers will be allowed to serve as distant sites rather than just the originating patient site.
• The new plan allows for members to access telehealth services without incurring costs, even if they have not met their deductible. 

Additionally, the new Act includes provisions to help legislators and decision-makers conduct further studies on the efficacy of telehealth that may permanently extend benefits.

Getting Your Practice Telehealth-Ready

Whether you are in private practice or working in concert with a group of providers, investing in telehealth and telehealth technologies is smart business — and a great way to bring necessary healthcare to an underserved population. 

To stay ahead of this emerging trend, ensure that your institution has the right tools in place. This includes:

• A capacity for both audio and video, including devices that are video enabled
• An easy-to-use platform that can drive usage
• A workforce that has been educated on the proper usage of telehealth tools

Most importantly, you want to be sure that your platform is safe, secure, and compliant with necessary regulations such as the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). All video and audio conferencing should feature robust security features and encryption to maintain essential compliance and give both patients and care providers peace of mind. 

Trust Blue Technologies with Your Telehealth Needs

Navigating the world of telehealth can be simple — if you have a partner that fully understands the needs and challenges implicit in a virtual health care scenario. At Blue Technologies, our team of communications experts has the deep knowledge necessary to offer the best quality audio and visual resources at a high level of security for strict adherence to regulatory compliance requirements. 

Our team can assess your current infrastructure against the needs and challenges your team is facing in providing telehealth services and create a custom-tailored communications platform that can help you take advantage of the new flexibility in telehealth — while providing your patients with a secure, high-quality healthcare experience. 

Make the move toward virtual care or simply increase your current telehealth capacity. Contact a Blue Technologies consultant and learn how our communications systems can help you leverage the possibilities virtual care has to offer.