Maximizing Annual Wellness Visits with Telehealth

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) quickly increased access to Telehealth services amid the COVID-19 pandemic. CMS has relaxed rules that prevent which patients are eligible for Telehealth services. The blanket waiver removes any geographical constraints and negates the need for the patient to commute to an issuing facility, for example, a health center. The patient can be anywhere in the homeland, even their own residence.

In 2020, CMS approved enhanced telehealth services coverage prospects under the 1135 exemption legislation and the Coronavirus Preparedness and Response Supplemental Appropriations Act (CPRSAA). This significant transition permitted previously prohibited treatments, including psychological counseling, mental health evaluations, and proactive medical checks, to be delivered at the residence.

Within eight months, approximately 68 million Telehealth consultations were managed, representing a 2,700% growth. Online check-in options or quick check-ins for new or existing sick people were operational over the telephone, by using video calls, or by giving access to patient portals.

Telehealth protects patients and caregivers from viral replication, minimizes the need for protective gear, and creates a user experience to preserve the patient-provider connection and confidence. Annual Wellness Visits (AWV) through telehealth also enable healthcare practitioners to pre-emptively involve patients and assist them in overcoming hazardous health practices. 

Telemedicine Is an Essential Part of AWV

Telemedicine makes it easier to identify and manage care requirements before they become severe enough to need a patient's visit to an in-person medical facility, for instance, an emergency clinic or hospital admission.

Telehealth for Boosting Annual Wellness Visits

The Annual Wellness Visits (AWVs) is a reimbursable telehealth appointment that sets a standard to guarantee Medicare patients are cared for during the COVID-19 outbreak. Furthermore, the advantages to the patient's health and the protracted financial effects must build credibility in Telemedicine.

Telehealth mandates actual human audio and video communication so that patients and their care providers can see and hear one another. Medicare, the federal government plan in the United States, has made substantial adjustments to assist healthcare providers who undertake telehealth AWV. 

Among these modifications are the following:

• Annual wellness check-ups can be handled only by audio.
• The blood pressure and weight stated by the patient are acceptable.
• Professional claims for non-traditional telemedicine services invoiced were reimbursed at the same cost as an in-person consultation.

The AWVs conducted via telemedicine services can be improved by increasing Care Coordination among caregivers to do chart prep which includes health risk evaluation inquiries, reviewing the medication list, and Social Determinants of Health (SDoH) probes. Such profiling can be completed before the patient-provider meeting via Patient Portal - EMR entry point.