Nixon Law Group’s Managing Partner, Carrie Nixon, was quoted in an article appearing in Internet of Things World Today discussing the future of telehealth.
Read MoreNixon Law Group’s Managing Partner, Carrie Nixon, was quoted in an op-ed for The Hill discussing 5 actions to fuel the digital health momentum. "The COVID-19 public health emergency has forcefully opened the door for widespread adoption of telehealth, remote patient monitoring, and other digital health platforms by patients and providers alike."
Read MoreExperts Weigh in on Post-COVID-19 Telehealth Rules and Policies. Nixon Law Group’s Managing Partner, Carrie Nixon, was quoted extensively in an article appearing in mHealth Intelligence regarding her views on post-COVID-19 telehealth rules and policies.
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Join us as Tommy Miller, Sr. Counsel and Life Science Lead at Nixon Law Group, speaks with industry experts, John Lazo and Nikki Hastings, about how the global COVID-19 pandemic has impacted pharmaceutical drug development. The panel will discuss how innovators are responding to the pandemic through new tests, devices and therapeutics and how the drug development ecosystem can implement "lessons learned" to help us better prepare for the future of drug discovery.
The Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (“CMS”) has issued a second Interim Final Rule (“IFR2”) that includes additional expansions and clarifications relating to the provision and reimbursement of telehealth, remote patient monitoring, and telephone services during the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency (“PHE”). While these expansions are another step forward for the adoption of digital technologies and services in healthcare, there are additional changes needed in the near-term, as detailed in the summary below.
Read MoreThe Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) passed by Congress on March 27, 2020 opened the door for Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) and Rural Health Clinics (RHCs) to increase healthcare access to patients in rural and underserved areas by reimbursing for telehealth services to Medicare beneficiaries during the public health emergency (PHE). In addition, CMS has issued non-legislative policy changes and flexibility to address the increased need for remote services for Medicare beneficiaries in rural areas of the country.
Read MoreMedical providers across the spectrum have endured a significant hit to revenues as a result of the COVID-19 public health emergency (PHE). MGMA’s recent report, “COVID-19 Financial Impoact on Medical Practices”, indicates that nearly 100% of providers have seen a negative revenue impact, with an average decrease in revenue of 55%. To offset some of those losses, the CARES Act allocated a $50 billion “general allocation” to support the sustainability of these providers.
Read MoreThe burden on the staff and residents of long-term care facilities, including nursing facilities and skilled nursing facilities, has increased significantly around the country. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), in response to feedback from industry stakeholders, and under new 1135 waiver authorities granted to it in the Coronavirus Preparedness and Response Supplemental Appropriations Act, implemented several policy changes to support long term care facilities, including changes enabling practitioners to remotely provide services to these facilities and to remotely supervise on-site providers.
Read More‘We'll likely need a legislative change for these changes to be permanent,’ said Nixon. ‘There will be more of an impetus now. Once patients have had telehealth, it's likely they won't want to go back.’”
Read MoreJoin us for a webinar to explain the most recent regulatory and reimbursement changes around the Remote Patient Monitoring, Telehealth, e-Visit, and Virtual Check-in CPT codes, during COVID-19, and what those changes mean from a practical perspective.
Read MoreIn response to urgent requests from healthcare providers and digital health services companies, CMS released an Interim Final Rule with comment period (the “Rule”) on March 30, 2020 that eases restrictions around the use of telehealth and other virtual communications technologies to aide response to the COVID-19 public health crisis. The Rule adds reimbursement for over 80 additional services that can now be furnished by telehealth, removes the requirement that Medicare patients have a previously established relationship with the provider billing for telehealth or remote communications services, and allows the “face-to-face” encounters required to initiate some services to be conducted via telehealth.
Read More“Widening use of telehealth and remote monitoring could lead to broader recognition among health-care providers and lawmakers of the value of these technologies and the need to reimburse for them appropriately, even after this crisis subsides, said Carrie Nixon of Nixon Law Group and an advisor to health-care venture firm Empactful Capital.”
Read MoreHIPAA Critical: Episode 10 | COVID-19’s HIPAA Impact, Increased Risk From Remote Work, Interview with Carrie Nixon
Read MoreWhen the Coronavirus Preparedness and Response Supplemental Appropriations Act of 2020 was signed into law on March 6th, a provision in the Act that waives the geographic and originating site restrictions on telehealth services for the elderly garnered less attention, but could have a very important role to play in combatting COVID-19 - particularly if the waiver authority is further expanded by Congress. Learn more about the emergency telehealth waivers.
Read MoreThe Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) released the Final Medicare Physician Fee Schedule for CY 2020 (the “2020 MPFS”) on November 1, 2019. The 2020 MPFS finalizes six new CPT codes for e-Visits, providing new opportunities for physician practices to be reimbursed for conducting digital health assessments and evaluations for their patients and for remote patient monitoring companies to add these capabilities to their platforms.
Read MoreThe Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) released the Final Medicare Physician Fee Schedule for CY 2020 (the “2020 MPFS”) on November 1, 2019, finalizing some important changes relating to Remote Patient Monitoring (RPM) services, but leaving many questions unanswered as of yet.
Read MoreOn July 29, 2019, the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (“CMS”) released its proposed rule for the 2020 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (the “2020 MPFS”).
Read MoreRemote patient monitoring providers have known the benefits of RPM, including better outcomes for patients and lower overall cost of care, for awhile now. But with innovations in technology and CMS’ move to allow separate reimbursement for RPM bring incredible opportunities for health care technology companies and providers alike. Read more on Digital Health Today.
Read MoreBeginning January 1, 2019, physicians and other Qualified Healthcare Providers (“QHCPs”) eligible to independently bill for E/M services can obtain standalone reimbursement for Interprofessional Internet Consultations using CPT Codes 99446-99449, 99451, and 99452.
Read MoreThe final 2019 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (the “Rule”), released on November 1st, creates three new codes in the category of Chronic Care Remote Physiologic Monitoring (“CCRPM”) for (1) initial set-up and patient education, (2) initial device supply, and (3) monitoring data and interacting with patients or caregivers.
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