WASHINGTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has made a bold statement in support of telemedicine by streamlining the credentialing and privileging of telehealth providers delivering services to Medicare hospitals. By simplifying how hospitals and non-hospital providers privilege doctors who remotely treat patients, CMS has lowered the administrative burden of delivering telehealth and telemedicine services.
The new rule particularly helps small hospitals in rural and isolated areas by making it easier to access remote specialty services via telemedicine. Medicare will now privilege telehealth practices such as teleradiology, teleICU and telestroke, whether they are delivered directly by the hospital or by an outside clinical vendor.
“CMS’ new rules will truly help patients receive the care they need, no matter where they live or where their doctor is located,” said Dale Alverson, MD, President of the American Telemedicine Association. “By eliminating the overly burdensome credentialing and privileging rules in Medicare, CMS has shown it’s growing support of telemedicine.”
The American Telemedicine Association has actively petitioned CMS to ease privileging obstacles and comments from ATA members were instrumental in the outcome of the final rule.
“CMS was very responsive to the comments and concerns of the telemedicine community,” said Jonathan Linkous, CEO of the American Telemedicine Association. “The privileging of private telemedicine providers in Medicare hospitals was not in the draft rule; the subsequent addition of these vital telehealth service providers reflects the comments of ATA and it’s members.”
The final rule was announced May 2, 2011 and will go into effect July 2, 2011. A full copy of the rule is available at: http://www.ofr.gov/OFRUpload/OFRData/2011-10875_PI.pdf
ATA applauds the leadership of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services for their support of telemedicine.
The American Telemedicine Association (www.americantelemed.org) is the leading resource and advocate promoting the use of advanced remote medical technologies. ATA and its diverse membership, works to fully integrate telemedicine into transformed healthcare systems to improve quality, equity and affordability of healthcare.
CONTACT:
American Telemedicine Association
Ben Forstag, Director of Communications
202-223-1721
[email protected]
KEYWORDS: United States North America District of Columbia
INDUSTRY KEYWORDS: Technology Telecommunications Health Hospitals Public Policy/Government Healthcare Reform Public Policy White House/Federal Government General Health Managed Care
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