New code G2010 included in the 2019 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule gives providers resources to support patients with asynchronous video technology
BALTIMORE, MD. (November 7, 2018)
Sebastian Seiguer, CEO of emocha Mobile Health Inc., issued the following statement in response to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ (CMS) final policy, payment, and quality provisions changes to the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule for 2019:
“emocha strongly supports CMS’ final rule, which modernizes Medicare reimbursement for communication technology services, especially HCPCS code G2010. This final rule will dramatically improve the way patients receive care and interact with their providers. The updates give providers the resources to use new technology to communicate with patients, assess their condition remotely, and support them throughout treatment. This will substantially benefit vulnerable patient populations and reduce the costs of healthcare.
“HCPCS code G2010 will reimburse providers for the review of photos and videos sent by patients asynchronously, also known as “store and forward” technology. This means that providers can offer established patients a modern means to communicate with their provider without an in-person appointment or the need for a live video internet connection. With code G2010, providers are required to follow-up with patients, which CMS has specified can take place via multiple channels, such as text message, chat, or phone call. With this specification, CMS encourages modern means of communication that patients are most comfortable using. G2010 evidences CMS’s recognition of the potential of asynchronous technology to provide patient-centric care at lower costs.
“We believe that there is tremendous potential to use this code to help patients who may be struggling to adhere to their treatment regimens, particularly when providers suspect that medication adherence is a challenge. emocha uses asynchronous video technology to improve medication adherence, keeping patients connected to their care teams and allowing the timely report of essential data such as symptoms or side effects.
“emocha’s mission is to empower every patient to take every dose of prescribed medication. We envision a world where taking all of your medication is a cultural norm and the consequences of nonadherence are history. Through policies such as CMS’ final rule, technology can be used to address the deadliest and most costly diseases that patients experience today.”
About emocha Mobile Health
emocha empowers every patient to take every dose of medication through video technology and scalable human engagement. Patients use a smartphone application to video record themselves taking their medication. Providers or emocha Adherence Coaches use a secure web portal to assess adherence and engage with patients. The platform is being used by public health departments, clinical trials, hospitals, health centers, and managed care organizations to radically improve medication adherence for patients with tuberculosis, opioid use disorder, hepatitis C, diabetes, and other chronic and infectious diseases. Learn more at www.emocha.com
Contact: Michelle Mendes| email: mmendes@emocha.com | phone: 410.928.4016
