1
00:00:00,080 --> 00:00:02,639
This is Naomi Diaz with the Becker's Digital

2
00:00:02,639 --> 00:00:05,759
Health podcast. Here's your daily industry news briefing

3
00:00:05,759 --> 00:00:07,779
for today, October 8.

4
00:00:08,240 --> 00:00:10,719
First, 10 health systems are teaming up to

5
00:00:10,719 --> 00:00:14,179
explore strategy, ethics, governance, and scaling of iGentic

6
00:00:14,240 --> 00:00:15,544
AI at their organizations.

7
00:00:16,484 --> 00:00:18,964
The first cohort of the collaborative organized by

8
00:00:18,964 --> 00:00:21,064
digital transformation company Avia

9
00:00:21,364 --> 00:00:24,004
will focus on using AI agents for nursing

10
00:00:24,004 --> 00:00:27,239
clinical support, customer service, and contact centers, as

11
00:00:27,239 --> 00:00:29,760
well as patient experience according to an October

12
00:00:29,760 --> 00:00:30,859
8 news release.

13
00:00:31,239 --> 00:00:33,240
Some of the 10 health systems include Bon

14
00:00:33,240 --> 00:00:37,260
Secours, Mercy Health, Boston Children's Hospital, Children's Wisconsin,

15
00:00:37,719 --> 00:00:40,859
MedStar Health, Motif Cancer Center, and more.

16
00:00:41,524 --> 00:00:42,024
Second,

17
00:00:42,484 --> 00:00:45,445
some health systems have started pausing telehealth visits

18
00:00:45,445 --> 00:00:48,664
for Medicare beneficiaries as the government shutdown continues.

19
00:00:49,204 --> 00:00:51,145
Pandemic era telehealth flexibilities

20
00:00:51,524 --> 00:00:54,585
expired October 1 with the federal government stoppage,

21
00:00:54,939 --> 00:00:58,239
cutting off CMS reimbursement for many virtual visits.

22
00:00:58,699 --> 00:01:00,739
While many health systems are still waiting for

23
00:01:00,739 --> 00:01:03,759
a resolution between Congress and president Donald Trump,

24
00:01:03,979 --> 00:01:07,259
some organizations have begun to suspend telehealth access

25
00:01:07,259 --> 00:01:09,439
for Medicare and Medicaid patients.

26
00:01:10,204 --> 00:01:12,064
The American Telemedicine Association

27
00:01:12,365 --> 00:01:14,844
estimates that about 30% of hospitals and health

28
00:01:14,844 --> 00:01:18,045
systems have halted their Medicare telehealth offerings amid

29
00:01:18,045 --> 00:01:18,704
the shutdown.

30
00:01:19,725 --> 00:01:23,165
Quote, Providence proactively prepared for telehealth services to

31
00:01:23,165 --> 00:01:24,944
return to pre pandemic guidelines,

32
00:01:25,280 --> 00:01:27,379
which limited the type of telehealth services

33
00:01:27,680 --> 00:01:29,299
that quantify for reimbursement,

34
00:01:29,920 --> 00:01:33,039
including restrictions for audio only visits, types of

35
00:01:33,039 --> 00:01:34,899
service, and sites of service,

36
00:01:35,200 --> 00:01:38,079
a spokesperson for the 51 hospital system based

37
00:01:38,079 --> 00:01:40,019
in Renton, Washington told Becker's.

38
00:01:40,784 --> 00:01:43,504
Quote, due to this change, some Medicare patients

39
00:01:43,504 --> 00:01:45,424
are being asked to come in for appointments

40
00:01:45,424 --> 00:01:48,224
that were originally scheduled as telehealth to ensure

41
00:01:48,224 --> 00:01:50,165
their care is covered, end quote.

42
00:01:50,704 --> 00:01:53,024
NYU lingo and health posted a notice on

43
00:01:53,024 --> 00:01:55,185
its website stating, quote, due to the federal

44
00:01:55,185 --> 00:01:56,165
government shutdown,

45
00:01:56,500 --> 00:01:59,060
Medicare and Medicaid patients are unable to schedule

46
00:01:59,060 --> 00:02:00,759
new telehealth and video visits.

47
00:02:01,060 --> 00:02:02,979
If you already have a visit scheduled, it

48
00:02:02,979 --> 00:02:05,539
will continue as planned. If not, contact your

49
00:02:05,539 --> 00:02:07,959
doctor's office to schedule an in person appointment,

50
00:02:08,340 --> 00:02:09,159
end quote.

51
00:02:09,775 --> 00:02:12,335
San Diego based Scripps Health has also rescheduled

52
00:02:12,335 --> 00:02:15,055
more than 400 Medicare telehealth appointments as in

53
00:02:15,055 --> 00:02:18,495
person visits since October 1, while another 600

54
00:02:18,495 --> 00:02:20,495
plus have remained virtual because they're part of

55
00:02:20,495 --> 00:02:21,794
the health system's ACO,

56
00:02:22,094 --> 00:02:24,435
the San Diego Union Tribune reported.

57
00:02:25,349 --> 00:02:28,469
Shane Tillman, vice president and chief information and

58
00:02:28,469 --> 00:02:30,789
digital officer of Scripps Health, emailed to the

59
00:02:30,789 --> 00:02:31,769
newspaper, quote,

60
00:02:32,069 --> 00:02:34,469
some Medicare patients no longer eligible for a

61
00:02:34,469 --> 00:02:37,209
telehealth visit elect to keep their telehealth appointment

62
00:02:37,349 --> 00:02:39,909
with the knowledge Medicare is not currently covering

63
00:02:39,909 --> 00:02:42,724
the visit, and they may be financially responsible,

64
00:02:43,104 --> 00:02:43,764
end quote.

65
00:02:44,544 --> 00:02:46,864
Saint Elizabeth Healthcare is also working to move

66
00:02:46,864 --> 00:02:49,504
Medicare telehealth patients to in person visits and

67
00:02:49,504 --> 00:02:51,264
telling those who wish to keep their appointments

68
00:02:51,264 --> 00:02:53,125
virtual that they may be billed,

69
00:02:53,504 --> 00:02:54,805
WCPO reported.

70
00:02:55,580 --> 00:02:58,299
A spokesperson for New York City based NYC

71
00:02:58,299 --> 00:03:00,479
Health Plus Hospital, the nation's largest

72
00:03:00,780 --> 00:03:04,000
health system, said it is, quote, continuing telehealth

73
00:03:04,060 --> 00:03:07,180
appointments as usual for all patients, including those

74
00:03:07,180 --> 00:03:07,919
on Medicaid

75
00:03:08,379 --> 00:03:09,120
and Medicare.

76
00:03:09,844 --> 00:03:12,724
Meanwhile, mass general Brigham and Sanford Health, they

77
00:03:12,724 --> 00:03:15,364
also said they are maintaining telehealth access as

78
00:03:15,364 --> 00:03:15,864
well.

79
00:03:16,805 --> 00:03:19,525
Some health systems say they're still assessing the

80
00:03:19,525 --> 00:03:20,025
situation.

81
00:03:20,564 --> 00:03:23,730
A Cleveland Clinic spokesperson told Becker's, quote, our

82
00:03:23,730 --> 00:03:26,129
goal is to minimize interruptions to the care

83
00:03:26,129 --> 00:03:27,510
our patients are receiving.

84
00:03:27,810 --> 00:03:30,210
We are continuing to monitor this and are

85
00:03:30,210 --> 00:03:32,370
committed to the delivery of health care in

86
00:03:32,370 --> 00:03:33,830
compliance with regulatory

87
00:03:34,129 --> 00:03:35,590
guidelines, end quote.

88
00:03:35,985 --> 00:03:38,405
At the same time, others are anticipate

89
00:03:38,864 --> 00:03:41,824
anticipating payback from CMS if and when the

90
00:03:41,824 --> 00:03:42,965
shutdown ends.

91
00:03:43,504 --> 00:03:44,164
A spokesperson

92
00:03:44,465 --> 00:03:47,664
for Mercy told Becker's, quote, we're hopeful our

93
00:03:47,664 --> 00:03:50,245
government leaders will come to a solution quickly

94
00:03:50,419 --> 00:03:53,219
to protect the availability of telehealth care, which

95
00:03:53,219 --> 00:03:55,300
has served as a lifeline for patients in

96
00:03:55,300 --> 00:03:57,379
recent years, particularly those in parts of our

97
00:03:57,379 --> 00:04:00,280
country where access to certain health care services

98
00:04:00,419 --> 00:04:01,800
is not readily available.

99
00:04:02,340 --> 00:04:05,060
Mercy remains committed to providing telehealth to our

100
00:04:05,060 --> 00:04:07,775
patients and hopes to receive reimbursement retroactively

101
00:04:08,155 --> 00:04:10,254
when the government reopens, end quote.

102
00:04:10,555 --> 00:04:11,995
If you would like the latest health IT

103
00:04:11,995 --> 00:04:14,155
and digital health industry news delivered to your

104
00:04:14,155 --> 00:04:17,194
inbox every morning, subscribe to the Becker's CIO

105
00:04:17,194 --> 00:04:19,675
and Health IT Review enewsletter through our website

106
00:04:19,675 --> 00:04:22,993
at ww.beckershospitalreview.com.