ACO Speed Bumps, Courtesy of CMS

OCT 4

We recently reviewed an article outlining the current debate between the American Telemedicine Association (ATA) and Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) regarding the statutory restrictions placed on telehealth by CMS in certain rules effecting accountable care organizations (ACOs).  In summary, ATA is asking that five Medicare requirements that effectively limit the use of telemedicine—by prohibiting reimbursement—be waived or modified.

It is ironic that CMS is supporting unnecessary road blocks to ACO enablement, a care delivery methodology that is a cornerstone of the 2009 health reform legislation.    At the core of the government’s support for ACOs is the idea that Medicare and Medicaid spending is unsustainable and a system that rewards providers for delivering the same (or better care) could be most impactful by better managing patients with chronic conditions, reducing readmissions and minimizing ER visits.

Thus, it seems counterintuitive that new approaches to delivering care (i.e., ACOs), should be encumbered.  As persuasively pointed out by a letter from the head of the ATA to the head of CMS; “telehealth should be an integral part of how ACOs provide healthcare. The benefits of telehealth for Medicare beneficiaries and Medicare program include:

  • Reduction of in-person overuse, such as in emergency rooms and preventable inpatient admissions
  • Triaging for faster, appropriate specialist care
  • Improve[d] patient outcomes and quality
  • Increase provider productivity
  • Relief for provider shortages
  • Reduction in disparities to patient access
  • Decrease unnecessary variations in care…”
    – Source


While impactful, yet another memo from the ATA on this same subject was even more persuasive.  Entitled “Recommendations to the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation,” the ATA explored connecting doctors to patients via telehealth instead of traditional office visits, and the significant savings in Medicare spending that could result.  In this memo, the ATA used the example that Medicare spent over $4.5 billion in 2009 on ambulance rides for patients. While it was not argued that this entire amount was wasteful or unnecessary, the memo pointed out that the Center for Information Technology Leadership analyzed this line item and determined that leveraging telehealth would result in $500 million of annual savings.

We haven’t yet seen the reply by CMS to the ATA memo, but it seems that any past reservations about telehealth should be reevaluated to reduce the friction of pursuing the ACO model.  As the ATA’s Administrator ironically points out in his memo to CMS regarding the CMS ‘definition’ of an ACO: “An ACO will be innovative in the service of the three-part aim of better care for individuals, better health for populations, and lower growth in expenditures.  It will draw upon the best, most advanced models of care, using modern technologies, including telehealth and electronic health records, and other tools to continually reinvent care in the modern age.

Let us know what you think and have a great week.

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Jamie Lockhart
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