Industry stakeholders and patient advocacy organizations are urging Congress to pass legislation that would solidify telehealth waivers passed by the CARES Act during the COVID-19 public health emergency (PHE).
The vast majority of providers see telehealth as an opportunity to improve patient services and 94% of patients who have had...
A new study by West Health Institute analyzed survey responses from 7,246 American clinicians who offer telehealth to adults.
Telehealth use for senior care increased during the COVID-19 pandemic, facilitated by waivers from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). These services are well regarded for cutting costs,...
On Tuesday morning, Congressional lawmakers unveiled a titanic omnibus spending bill that includes a 2% cut to Medicare reimbursement rates for doctors, an extension of the telehealth and hospital-at-home waivers, and several other measures that would unwind policies enacted during the COVID-19 public health emergency (PHE) prior to the...
There will likely be a winter surge of COVID-19 in the next few months, but Americans aren't receiving the bivalent booster shot that targets Omicron variants.
The daily global COVID-19 infection rate is expected to rise by two million daily cases by February, according to an analysis from the University of Washington. Reuters notes...
Arizona hospitals are reporting a 35% net increase in operating profits in 2020 according to a report released last Friday by the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System (AHCCCS), an increase higher than any year-over-year over the past decade. But a new study from the American Hospital Association (AHA) and Kaufman Hall warns that...National News
COVID-19 is on the upswing again due to the Delta variant's dominance nationwide. But skilled nursing facilities' vaccination rates among staff and healthcare professionals has plateaued. Organizations are taking action to encourage stronger vaccination policies. Additionally, insurance companies are now calling foul on CARES Act...
Today the Government Accountability Office (GAO) released a report evaluating the spread of COVID-19 in nursing homes across the United States.
It's clear that COVID-19 has had a disproportionate impact on the 1.4 million residents who live in nursing homes in America.
The GAO looked at the frequency and...
Arizona researchers are encouraging policy makers to enact strict orders in order to curb what may become a catastrophic burden on hospital capacities, but Governor Ducey and members of Congress have not yet heeded those suggestions. Additionally, long-term care facilities are reporting extremely high rates of illness and death among...Arizona News
Unemployment insurance may have short-term health effects through at least three pathways, as benefit income can meet health-related social needs (food and housing), cover health care access expenses (insurance premiums, co-pays, transportation), and reduce stress - improving mental health.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, more than 30...National News
In the early days of the pandemic lockdown, preventative and elective care ground to a near halt. Telemedicine, supported by the CARES Act, quickly stepped in to fill that gap. But according to a new study, that was not enough to correct reductions of in-person care.
Telehealth expansion was included in the original emergency...Arizona News
Cases of COVID-19 are still steadily climbing in Arizona and hospitals are starting to report increased numbers of hospitalizations in the midst of rampant ransomware attacks. Statewide preventative measures in June led the country in effectiveness, but Governor Doug Ducey is still showing no interest in reinstating similar policies....Arizona News
In April, Mayo Clinic was preparing for a $3 billion loss, but for the second quarter and the first six months of 2020, Mayo Clinic publicly reported its “Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Reports," which showed stronger than expected financial results, despite the COVID-19 pandemic.
In the report, the non-profit Mayo...National News
On Monday this week, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Kentucky) announced “Phase Four” of the economic relief negotiations for COVID-19 related financial assistance for business and hospitals with the Health, Economic, Assistance, Liability Protection and Schools (HEALS) Act.
The bill is a follow up to the Coronavirus...National News
Dentists were recently added to the list of providers that can apply for financial assistance through the Department of Health and Human Services website this week through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act. This is in addition to funding provided to high risk hospitals and hospitals in rural...Arizona News
On Tuesday, the Department of Health and Human Services announced funding relief for providers that rely exclusively on Medicaid reimbursements following months of pleading by providers, industry professionals and politicians.
Organizations like the American Hospital Association, America’s Essential Hospitals and the American Health...National News
A myriad of fiscal and monetary stimulus has come out of Washington in recent months with the government and the Federal Reserve working jointly to provide financial aid and inject liquidity into industries struck by an unprecedented supply and demand shock. The government has provided $175 billion in relief funds to hospitals and other...Arizona News
A dire jobs report last week revealed a 14.7% unemployment rate for the month of April, exacerbating the pandemics impact on the economy. Healthcare represented 7% of the country's job losses, tripling it's rate in just one month.
The healthcare industry has fluctuated since the beginning of the outbreak as optimism on vaccine...National News
Last week after weeks of neglect from the federal government as well as grant qualification issues, the American Academy of Family Physicians, the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists wrote a letter to HHS Secretary Alex Azar requesting relief for providers who are neither Medicare...Arizona News
On Thursday, April 30, CMS announced it will more than double the reimbursement for telephone consultations to match those for office and outpatient visits.
The new rule increases payments for audio-only telephone consultations from $14-$41 to about $46-$110 as part of a broad package of federal waivers and flexibilities to...
