May 08, 2020
In the 2020 Physician Fee Schedule (PFS) Final Rule , CMS emphasized the importance of increasing utilization of Transitional Care Management (TCM) services for Medicare beneficiaries. TCM is a service that provides care management to patients who are discharging from an acute care stay to their home or residence.
News, Policy
May 08, 2020
Caravan Health continues to advocate to let rural hospitals fully participate in loan programs to help small businesses through the COVID-19 pandemic. Last week we sent a letter, co-signed by 8 of our rural health system partners, urging the Treasury Secretary and SBA Administrator to change affiliate rules that keep some rural hospitals out of loan programs.
ACO, Policy
May 05, 2020
In recognition of Nurses Week, Caravan Health acknowledges the efforts, dedication, and sacrifices that are made on our behalf every hour of every day by nurses. It is rare to meet a nurse who fell into the role by happenstance. Rather, a career in nursing is for most, an ambition they not only had, but also felt, years before joining the profession.
News
May 01, 2020
On Thursday April 30, CMS released a second round of extensive regulatory changes and waivers in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. This latest interim final rule builds on the first CMS COVID-19 interim rule from late March and provides a much more comprehensive plan for Shared Savings Program ACO relief as providers face the disruption of the COVID-19 pandemic. In making these changes, CMS is acknowledging the real risk of the pandemic on the future of ACOs and is appropriately taking urgent action.
April 30, 2020
The COVID pandemic has disrupted many norms, including the need to temporarily close the traditional front door to primary care. However, the long-running, firmly established relationship of trust between patient and primary care physician remains strong and may be more important than ever.
ACO, News
By Dr. John Findley
April 29, 2020
Dr. John Findley, Medical Director of ACO Programs with Caravan Health, hosted a webinar to discuss protecting vulnerable patients with proactive outreach during the pandemic. Dr. Findley’s stated goal was to shine a light on the importance of active outreach to at-risk individuals and engage them in new care path options.
ACO, News
April 28, 2020
On April 21, Dr. Anna Loengard, Chief Medical Officer with Caravan Health, hosted a COVID-19 educational webinar to share the anticipated clarification from CMS regarding telehealth flexibilities for rural health care clinics and federally qualified health centers.
ACO
April 21, 2020
Caravan Health is urging Congress to let rural hospitals fully participate in the new Small Business Administration’s loan programs authorized in the CARES Act. Congress will have to act soon to add more funding to the popular Paycheck Protection Program, and rural hospitals should not be left out.
Policy
April 17, 2020
On April 10, 2020, a COVID-19 educational webinar hosted by Dr. Anna Loengard with Caravan Health featuring rural health leaders revealed a number of innovative strategies developed in response to the pandemic.
ACO, Policy
April 16, 2020
In normal times, Advance Care Planning (ACP) is already part of high-quality primary care. During the COVID 19 public health emergency, it is crucial that providers add it to their planned movement to virtual care. While many areas have yet to see large numbers of COVID-19 infections, the threat of this virus spreading through any community will remain until we have a vaccine. For older patients and those with chronic conditions, this means preparing for the possibility of serious illness for the next year or more.
CMS
By Dr. Anna Loengard