Telemedicine: follow the money modalities

Area of Science:

• Health Policy
• Telemedicine
• Healthcare Reimbursement

Background:

• Historically, private and public payers lacked explicit telehealth payment policies.
• The late 1990s marked a turning point in third-party payer policies for telehealth services.

Purpose of the Study:

• To trace the evolution of Medicare telemedicine payment policies.
• To present current issues in Medicare and third-party payer telemedicine reimbursement.
• To discuss future implications and the role of nursing in telemedicine.

Main Methods:

• Historical analysis of Medicare payment legislation.
• Review of current Medicare payment policies.
• Discussion of third-party payer perspectives and future trends.

Main Results:

• The Balanced Budget Act of 1997 initiated significant changes in Medicare telemedicine reimbursement.
• Current policies have developed from this legislative foundation.
• Various issues impact telemedicine payment for both Medicare and other payers.

Conclusions:

• Medicare's payment policies for telemedicine have undergone substantial development since 1997.
• Understanding these policies is crucial for healthcare providers and payers.
• The nursing community has a role to play in the future of telemedicine reimbursement.