MedPAC Exploring Ways to Expand Telehealth

11 Sep MedPAC Exploring Ways to Expand Telehealth

The Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC) last week began exploring ways in which the federal health program could expand its coverage of a variety of telehealth services. Medicare currently covers certain services like mental health treatment and kidney disease under its traditional fee-for-service program, but offers additional flexibility to MA plans and doctors involved in payment demonstrations. Just 108,000 of Part B fee-for-service outpatient beneficiaries, or 0.3 percent, used telehealth in 2016. However, usage is on the rise — visits per 1,000 beneficiaries jumped 79 percent between 2014 and 2016. Click here for MedPAC’s slide presentation.