New Medicare Proposal Would Implement Schatz’s Telehealth Provisions, Expanding Health Care Access To More People

WASHINGTON – Yesterday, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services issued a new proposal on how to pay Medicare clinicians. This new proposed fee schedule would allow clinicians to be paid for telehealth services, implementing key provisions from U.S. Senator Brian Schatz’s (D-Hawai‘i) CONNECT for Health Act.

“I’m pleased that Medicare is catching up to the future of health care by implementing the key telehealth provisions passed in last year’s budget deal and expanding patients’ access to virtual care visits,” said Senator Schatz. “By moving past outdated red tape to embrace new technology, Medicare will help more people stay healthy, lower costs, and make the health care system more convenient for both patients and clinicians.”

Among other changes, the new proposal would allow clinicians to be paid for virtual care visits and for examining photos and videos submitted by patients online. The proposal also covers payments for telestroke and telehealth services for home dialysis.

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