Washington's got a thing for telehealth

The ideas and innovators shaping health care

Jul 17, 2023 View in browser   By Ben Leonard, Evan Peng and Erin Schumaker FOLLOW THE MONEY Craig bucked her party to support telehealth legislation. | AP Flush times continue in Washington for telehealth advocates, marked most recently by victories in the House and at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services last week. CMS proposed to boost payment rates to providers for the virtual care they give to Medicare patients in their homes. And a House subcommittee approved a bill that would provide permanent tax breaks for telehealth plans. The nitty-gritty: In its proposed physician fee schedule for next year, CMS says doctors need additional compensation because they’re now offering a significant amount of telehealth while still maintaining their physical offices. The agency said doctors’ expenses are consistent with a higher “non-facility” payment rate, which varies by service type. The proposal, likely to be finalized following a public comment period, would also: — Allow federally qualified health centers and rural health clinics to bill separately for remote patient monitoring, saying it “reflect[s] the additional resources necessary” for the services. — Permit doctors to fulfill Medicare requirements that they supervise the provision of certain medical services virtually through 2024. Before the pandemic, doctors had to supervise in person. Previous waivers had allowed virtual supervision through 2023. — Simplify the process for categorizing which telehealth services doctors can bill for. — Maintain pandemic rules that permitted certified opioid treatment programs to check in with patients via audio-only telehealth through 2024. On the Hill: The House Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee advanced legislation that would permanently allow employers to offer telehealth as a tax-free benefit separate from their group health insurance plans. The legislation would extend a pandemic rule aimed at encouraging employers to offer some health benefits to part-time seasonal workers whom they aren’t required to offer full coverage under Affordable Care Act rules. Even so: The bill won the support of one Democrat, Minnesota Rep. Angie Craig, but it faces a steep climb to enactment because other Democrats don’t think it’s a good idea to allow employers to offer health care plans that don’t provide the comprehensive coverage mandated by Obamacare.   UNLEASH THE FUTURE OF HEALTHCARE WITH POLITICO, A 7/20 INTERACTIVE EVENT: Imagine a future where rare genetic diseases are not only treatable, but potentially curable. Where our approach to chronic illness takes a monumental leap forward. That future is already taking shape in the form of next-generation health care treatments such as gene therapy. Join POLITICO on Thursday, July 20 and delve into the burgeoning field of gene therapies, which hold the power to redefine our health care landscape. Are you ready to explore this new frontier in health care? Don't miss this chance to be part of the conversation. REGISTER NOW.     WELCOME TO FUTURE PULSE PNC Park, Pittsburgh | Ben Leonard This is where we explore the ideas and innovators shaping health care. Everything old is new again. Automats — machines city workers could stop by for a quick lunch in 1912 — are back in style, Axios reports. Brooklyn Dumpling Shop, an automat-style, fast-casual chain where diners receive food through cubby windows, is expanding its concept nationally. Share any thoughts, news, tips and feedback with Ben Leonard at bleonard@politico.com, Ruth Reader at rreader@politico.com, Carmen Paun at cpaun@politico.com or Erin Schumaker at eschumaker@politico.com. Send tips securely through SecureDrop, Signal, Telegram or WhatsApp. Today on our Pulse Check podcast, host Kelly Hooper talks with Megan Messerly, who describes how Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb convinced a bipartisan majority in his state’s legislature to boost public health funding this year by 1,500 percent, overcoming opposition from fellow Republicans angry about the government’s response to Covid-19. Listen to today’s Pulse Check podcast Around the agencies The defense bill's got some health provisions likely to pass, just not the controversial ones. | Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images The annual defense policy bill is, for the moment, mired in controversy because House Republicans added provisions restricting abortion access and transgender care before passing it Friday. But while those provisions are certain to drop out once Senate Democrats and President Joe Biden have their say, the bill is still likely to become law — as it has for 63 straight years. And it’s still likely to contain significant health care provisions. Here are some key sections of the House bill that could remain: — A requirement for all military installations to stock naloxone, the drug that reverses opioid overdose — A pilot program on medical marijuana use for veterans — A clinical study on the use of psychedelics to treat PTSD and traumatic brain injury — The establishment of a task force within DOD on the mental health of service members — A directive for the secretary of Defense to create a plan to disrupt fentanyl trafficking What’s next? The Senate is set to begin debate on its own version of the defense legislation this week.   SUBSCRIBE TO POWER SWITCH: The energy landscape is profoundly transforming. Power Switch is a daily newsletter that unlocks the most important stories driving the energy sector and the political forces shaping critical decisions about your energy future, from production to storage, distribution to consumption. Don’t miss out on Power Switch, your guide to the politics of energy transformation in America and around the world. SUBSCRIBE TODAY.     THE NEXT CURES Biden wants to make life easier for people going through cancer treatments. | AP Photo/Alex Brandon Navigating the health care system could get easier for people with cancer, the White House says, because of two provisions in the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services’ new proposed physician fee schedule. The proposals, which CMS is likely to finalize following a public comment period, also feed into President Joe Biden’s cancer moonshot, which has a goal of cutting the cancer death rate by 50 percent over the next 25 years. The CMS proposal includes:  — Payment for services to help Medicare patients navigate cancer treatments, including peer-support specialists — Payment for some dental services before and during cancer treatments like chemotherapy for Medicare patients Why it matters: The additional support would help patients and their families, plus reduce disparities in care, according to Danielle Carnival, Biden’s moonshot coordinator. "This proposed rule will help seniors and people with disabilities access the support they need during their cancer journey," Carnival said in a statement. What’s next? The agency is taking comments on the proposal through Sept. 11.   Follow us on Twitter Ben Leonard @_BenLeonard_ Ruth Reader @RuthReader Carmen Paun @carmenpaun Erin Schumaker @erinlschumaker Evan Peng @thepngfile   Follow us

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