New Federal Health Law Faulty

On October 1, 2001, a section of the Medicare, Medicaid,and State Children’s Health Insurance Program Benefits Improvement Protection Act of 2000 expanded Medicare telehealth services to include consultations, officevisits, office psychiatry services, and any additional service specified by the secretary of health when delivered via a telecommunications system. As specified in the BIPA, originating sites where the telehealth services are rendered include practitioners’offices, critical access hospitals, rural health clinics, federally qualified health centers, and acute care hospitals.More recently, the Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act of 2008 expanded the list of telehealth providers to include hospital based renal dialysis centers, skilled nursing facilities, and community mental health centers. With the expansion of originating sites for telehealth services beyond HPSAs, access to care has improved over the years. Although these payment policy models have evolved for healthcare agencies and practitioners,PHYSICAL THERAPY PROVIDERS of telehealth services ARE NOT PAID FOR through Medicare. This is a complete shame as the new medical reimbursement laws should establish ways to cut costs without skimping on services that are needed. Physical therapy services are, for many patients, the difference between remaining disabled and returning to normal functioning. The government seems to be ”cutting its nose to spite its face”. There is a higher fee if the patient and therapist have to work face to face. Telehealth/telerehabilitation has an important function in today’s society and should be fully taken advantage of. See WWW.MEDITOUCH.CO.IL for more information on tele health possibilities for physical therapy solutions.