• Medicare: Last week, Congress passed the Coronavirus Preparedness and Response Supplemental Appropriations Act that will allow healthcare providers to bill Medicare fee-for-service for patient care delivered by telehealth during the current coronavirus public health emergency.
• Medicaid: Because Medicaid reimbursement for telehealth varies state by state, congressional representatives are encouraging states to cover all telemedicine services and expand their capability to do so in an effort to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.
• Commercial Payors: Commercial payors are taking steps to further expand access to telehealth services by lessening members' out-of-pocket costs.

"These reimbursement initiatives are crucial to increasing access to telehealth during this growing pandemic," said Bret Larsen, chief executive officer at eVisit. "With eVisit's VirtualED, hospitals can easily treat patients with suspected or confirmed cases of COVID-19 at their home, keeping them out of clinical settings. In addition, VirtualEd enables hospitals to conduct initial COVID-19 screening virtually. We want to do our part to keep hospital staff and patients safe while slowing the spread of the virus."

How It Works

• Hospitals direct patients to their VirtualED website instead of the hospital.
• Patients use their mobile device or computer to schedule an on-demand ED visit, answer COVID-19 specific intake questions, and enter a video exam room.
• A nurse assesses the patient's symptoms through a video visit and sends the patient to a virtual exam room with a doctor for diagnosis and treatment, or if the issue is an emergency, clears the patient to go into the emergency room.
• Patients with suspected or confirmed cases of COVID-19 can be advised to stay home and receive treatment through virtual care to reduce the spread of the virus and protect hospital staff and patients.

 To learn more about eVisit VirtualED available to hospitals at no cost, email info@evisit.com.