Dear Colleagues;
We hope you've all had a wonderful summer to date! July brought the usual beautiful weather, but this year it also brought an exciting amount of "buzz" for the field of telehealth on both the regional and national fronts! From Federal policy proposals to grant awards, regional event announcements, and everything in between, we've got a lot we wanted to share!
Starting first with the national updates: On Monday
, The Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services released their
Proposed PFS Codes for Calendar Year 2020,
continuing the annual aim of improving the quality of care, and reducing administrative burden.
Comments
on the proposal are due Sept. 27, 2019.
In the new PFS Code Proposal, CMS includes new methods for providers and clinicians to manage their care transitions and coordination through digital health methods, along with proposing 3 new bundled care codes regarding the use of telehealth services in the case of Medication Addiction Treatment.
Staying on the topic of the opioid epidemic and how telehealth methods may be a key driver in stemming the problem, The
Mainstreaming Addiction Treatment (MAT) Act
(S 2074) was introduced earlier this month in the Senate by Senators Maggie Hassan (D-NH) and Lisa Murkowski (R-AK). The bill would amend the definition of the “practice of telemedicine” to allow for its use to prescribe narcotic drugs in schedule III, IV or V (such as buprenorphine) while the patient is being treated by a community health aide or community health practitioner. Currently, a patient must first have an in-person exam or fall under one of several exceptions within the definition of the practice of telemedicine; the most common of which is the patient being physically located in a hospital or clinic registered with the DEA in order to be prescribed a controlled substance.
The MAT Act is not the only telehealth focused legislation currently on the table at the federal level, as the
Telehealth Innovation and Improvement Act
(previously voted on in 2015 and 2017) has been refreshed and brought to the House by Representative
John Curtis (R-UT), and co-sponsor Representative Joe Neguse (D-CO)
. The Senate is reviewing a "companion bill" of similar language as well, after having it reintroduced by
Sen Gary Peters (D-MI), co-sponsored with Sen Cory Gardner (R-CO).
As in previous iterations,
The Telehealth Innovation Act seeks to require the Center for Medicaid and Medicare Innovation to evaluate telehealth models for their costs and effectiveness in improving quality of care, and subsequently develop a reimbursement method for the model if the criteria is met.
On July 9th, The USDA Rural Development Department announced
12 grant awards
totaling $2.75 million through the
Distance Learning and Telemedicine program
, and specifically focused on the opioid crisis
. The projects will support a wide range of services, including video conferencing programs, and education and substance misuse treatment. Congratulations to the Vermont Association for Mental Health and Addiction Recovery for their successful proposal! Other awardees include projects in Alabama, California, Louisiana, Michigan, Montana, Nevada, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Utah.
In the midst of all of these landscape changing updates, we wanted to be sure you saw the FCC proposed rule and request for comment regarding a pilot project in early July? Earlier this month, the
Federal Communications Commission
(FCC) voted to adopt a
notice of proposed rule
establishing the
Connected Care Pilot Program
to support the development of telehealth services and delivery for low-income Americans, especially among rural and veteran populations. This follows a Notice of Inquiry for comments on the program originally made in July 2018.
The FCC proposes to adopt a $100 million budget, and would fund up to 20 projects with a three-year funding period. The Commission is requesting
comments
on all aspects of the proposed pilot, including the definition of a health condition and telehealth; the proposed eligible health care providers; and whether or not there are any licensing laws, regulations or reimbursement laws or regulations that would have a bearing on how they structure the pilot program. The National Consortium of Telehealth Resource Centers will be providing comments, and we encourage you to weigh in as well!
Keep reading to learn more about our newly invigorated Telehealth Leadership Forum, upcoming national and regional conferences, webinars, Telehealth News Stories, and more.
As always, please feel free to reach out with any questions, for more information on the news below, to share your successes, or just to say hello!
On Behalf of the NETRC Team - Be Well,
Reid Plimpton, MPH - Project Manager
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As we mentioned last month, we're excited to be re-starting the Northeast Telehealth Leadership Forum to foster collaborative problem solving with stakeholders throughout the region.
After a great set of initial responses and registrations, the NETRC Team is happy to announce the Forum will be held on a
bi-monthly basis starting August 2019!
Meeting topics, dates and times are still being finalized, but the Forum events will typically follow a format of:
-A predetermined regional or national speaker focused on a key topic area
-Q&A
-Regional Updates
-"Shop Talk"- An open floor for stakeholders to ask questions, gain input from others, and discuss anything telehealth.
For those that have already signed up, keep an eye out for more information later this week. If you haven't signed up, it's not too late; register at any time and please share the link with colleagues you think may be interested as well - the more the merrier!
Register Today!
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Upcoming Conferences/Events
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Regional Conference Season is just beginning for the TRC's!
Find More at the
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Upcoming National Conferences
APHA 2019
| November 2-6, 2019 | Philadelphia, PA
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Upcoming & Archived Webinars
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Coming up Soon!
August 15th - 2:00pm Eastern
National TRC Webinar Series:
PATH & Healthcare Transformation: Advancing Robotics & AI in Healthcare
AI and related innovations have enabled industries such as banking, aviation, and entertainment to grow faster, provide higher-quality products, and allow consumers greater choice. With spiraling costs, increased need and decreasing resources, and rapidly advancing new technologies and participants, healthcare lags significantly behind. PATH is a membership-based, mission-driven alliance to ensure the integration of automation, robotics, and artificial intelligence (AI) into the many components that comprise global healthcare.
Healthcare Transformation: Artificial Intelligence, Automation, and Robotics, is a new journal dedicated to transforming healthcare, by bringing together high-quality peer-reviewed research and impactful content dedicated to the advancement of artificial intelligence, automation, and robotics in healthcare, healthcare delivery, education, technology, innovation, and discovery. Mr. Linkous will summarize PATH’s and the journal’s mission and goals and how the field interacts with telemedicine.
Click on the image above, or
here
to register today!
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And in case you missed it:
May 1
NCTRC Webinar Series for Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs)
Part 1: Telehealth and Chronic Care Management
June 5
RHIhub Webinar
–
Introducing the Rural Telehealth Toolkit
(featuring NETRC's own Danielle Louder as one of 4 Speakers discussing the new tool!)
June 20
National TRC Webinar Series-
School-Based Telehealth Center of Excellence
July 18
National TRC Webinar Series
An Overview of Cyber Security
Hosted by:National Telehealth Technology Assessment Resource Center (TTAC)
Presented by: Jordan Berg
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New study eyes telemedicine for treating perinatal stress, depression-
mHealth Intelligence, July 23, 2019
Link
Researchers in North Carolina, Chicago and Toronto are collaborating on a large-scale study aimed at determining whether behavioral healthcare services delivered by telemedicine can help new mothers dealing with anxiety and depression.
SNF telehealth adoption hampered by capital and cultural obstacles-
Skilled Nursing News, July 28, 2019
Link
Skilled nursing providers are becoming increasingly interested in telehealth technology as a way of improving clinical outcomes and reducing care costs. However, systemic obstacles such as poor reimbursement combined with narrow financial margin are slowing adoption by SNFs.
VA telestroke program improving care for Veterans-
U.S. Dept. of Veterans Affairs, July 23, 2019
Link
Emergency stroke care for veterans continues to improve thanks to the expansion of VA’s National Telestroke Program, one of the first nationwide telestroke programs in the world.
The program was launched in 2017 and now provides acute stroke services in over 30 VA medical centers.
Maine still waiting for internet health care revolution-
Portland Press Herald, July 28, 2019
Link
Poor broadband and out-of-step Medicare policies relegate Maine's use of telehealth to small niches when it should be in the mainstream.
ATA releases 2019 update of state-by-state telehealth report cards -
mHealth Intelligence, July 19, 2019
Link
The American Telemedicine Association has updated its survey of state telehealth coverage and reimbursement policies and laws, which was last issued in 2017:
press release and link
(requires a free registration).
Oscar to enter Medicare Advantage market in New York, Texas
Healthcare Dive, July 18, 2019
Link
Health insurance startup Oscar is entering the Medicare Advantage market next year, partnering with health systems in New York and Texas to launch plans in those areas, pending CMS approval. For New York residents, Oscar is planning to offer an MA plan co-branded with Bronx-based Montefiore Health System.
New York expands telemedicine regulations
JD Supra, July 17, 2019
Link
The authorized use of telehealth to deliver mental health services to New Yorkers has been expanded by amendments to the state Office of Mental Health’s Telemental Health Services regulations increasing the types of professionals who may provide care and the places where care recipients can be treated.
Telehealth project expands to tackle HCV, substance abuse treatment
mHealth Intelligence, July 17, 2019
Link
A program of the State University of New York at Buffalo was launched in 2016 under funding by the Patient Centered Outcomes Research Institute to research use telemedicine in treating patients dealing with the hepatitis C virus and opioid abuse. Based on initial success, the program is expanding to seven more sites in New York.
Colorado to use mobile health units to extend reach of MAT therapy
mHealth Intelligence, July 16, 2019
Link
Armed with a $30 million grant, the state is purchasing six mobile health units to extend is connected health network into communities struggling with opioid abuse.
The vans will be equipped with connected health tools that allow healthcare providers to deliver Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT) therapy.
Uptake remains low, but doctors of all ages interested in telemedicine
Healthcare Dive, July 16, 2019
Link
Adoption of telehealth may be ticking up, with the number of physicians reporting telemedicine as a skill
rising 20% per year over the past three years, according to a new study from professional medical network Doximity. Age had no correlation with physician use of telehealth, and specialists in radiology and psychiatry expressed the most interest in adopting telehealth.
Growth of telemedicine in N.H. has hopes high, but questions remain
Vermont Public Radio News, July 16, 2019
Link
The telehealth programs of Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center in Lebanon, NH, is profiled, with a focus on its services in telestroke and critical care telemedicine. Last year over 4,500 telehealth consults were logged.
MAT act would remove waiver, boost telemedicine use in SUD treatment
mHealth Intelligence, July 12, 2019
Link
Congress is mulling legislation that would remove a cumbersome waiver process and increase the use of telemedicine in Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT) therapy, a key component of substance abuse disorder treatment.
CVS pushes further into care delivery with telemedicine and HealthHUB expansions
MedCity News, July 12, 2019
Link
The retail pharmacy chain has expanded its direct-to-consumer telemedicine offerings to 26 states and has charted out where it plans to open new HealthHUB locations next year.
Could Trump’s kidney disease order push telehealth, mHealth adoption?
mHealth Intelligence, July 11, 2019
Link
President Donald Trump's executive order targeting new tactics for treating kidney disease could compel healthcare providers to embrace telehealth and mHealth platforms for better care management, including remote monitoring of dialysis in the home setting.
FCC gives telehealth a go with Connected Care Pilot Program approval
mHealth Intelligence, July 10, 2019
Link
The Federal Communications Commission has voted to move forward with a three-year, $100 million pilot program aimed at supporting telehealth and mHealth programs that improve access to care for underserved populations.
Fairfield University receives $2.64M grant for telehealth program
Daily Voice Plus, July 10, 2019
Link
Fairfield University and its Marion Peckham Egan School of Nursing and Health Studies in Fairfield, CT, have recently been awarded a four-year HRSA workforce development grant of $2.64 million for the development of a telehealth curriculum.
Recent telemedicine and telehealth regulations
National Law Review, July 9, 2019
Link
Nearly two years after the passage of the New Jersey Telemedicine Law (N.J.S.A. 45:1-60-64), the various licensing New Jersey state licensing boards have finally begun proposing regulations to implement the statute.
NewYork-Presbyterian plans to expand telehealth services with new innovation institute
Fierce Healthcare, July 2, 2019
Link
NewYork-Presbyterian has launched the new Hauser Institute for Health Innovation with a specific focus on expanding telehealth services, including applications in remote patient monitoring and in teleparamedics.
Can The BIG Act give school-based telehealth a national platform?
mHealth Intelligence, July 1, 2019
Link
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Recommended Telehealth Research/Resources
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Hah H, Goldin D.
JMIR Med. Educ. 5(1):
e13350, 2019
McConnochie KM.
Telemed. eHealth
[epub ahead of print], January 2019
Modi PK, Kaufman SR, Portney DS, et al.
mHealth 5:
10, 2019
Ohl ME, Richardson K, Rodriguez-Barradas MC, et al.
Open Forum Infect Dis. 6(6):
ofz206, 2019
Patel UK, Malik P, DeMasi M, Lunagariya A, Jani VB.
Cureus 11(4):
e4410, 2019
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The Northeast Telehealth Resource Center (a proud member of the
National Consortium of Telehealth Resource Centers) aims to increase access to quality health care services for rural and medically underserved populations through Telehealth. Our service area includes New England, Northern New Jersey, and New York. Learn more at
www.netrc.org
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This newsletter was made possible by grant number G22RH30352 from the Office for the Advancement of Telehealth, Health Resources and Services Administration, DHHS
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