Medicare & Medicaid
The rules move the healthcare system from an environment built by providers and payers to one in which patients are in control, Rucker says.
The agency's goal is to ensure states and localities have the flexibility they need to ramp up diagnostic testing and access to medical care.
In total, $40-plus billion will be distributed to hospitals, pay for uninsured and target hot spots, rural providers and Indian Health Service.
The funds will go to 1,779 small rural hospitals and 14 Telehealth Resource Centers.
Lasting change will have to come from Congress, but there will be more of an impetus now that telehealth is getting its day in the sun.
Participation in the new COVID-19 clinical trials improvement activity carries a high weight from a scoring perspective.
To ease physician burden during COVID-19, non-physician practitioners will be able to perform documentation duties.
The recommendations allow hospitals in areas with a low incidence of COVID-19 to schedule elective surgeries again.
Proponents want Medicaid and private insurers to extend coverage for one year postpartum.
The action is being taken to rapidly expand COVID-19 testing, particularly for those with Medicare and in nursing homes.