Reimbursement Process For TeleStroke
In cases of stroke, every passing second counts. As per reports, a patient suffering from stroke loses around 1.8 million neurons in just one minute. The most crucial thing under such circumstances is timely treatment. Telestroke has made it easier to save time and treat patients via telemedicine.
Related: How Telehealth can be used for Stroke Patients?
In telestroke, the service providers and doctors contact the patients via online means and assist patients’ families or emergency staff in initiating early aid. In addition, telestroke programs provide treatment to secure the maximum area of the brain during a stroke attack and lessen the chances of severe disability.
In a recent development over the past few years, the Furthering Access to Stroke Telemedicine
Amendment (FAST) passed and expanded an act allowing for reimbursement for service providers in urban and remote areas. The reimbursement program covers the treatment cost regardless of where a patient is. This reimbursement act proved very helpful for telestroke service providers, doctors, and mobile telestroke units who suffered from budgeting issues. Let’s look into the reimbursement process for telestroke and see how it works to help stroke patients via telemedicine.
What is Telestroke reimbursement, and how does it work?
A few years back, medicare rules and telestroke services were available in rural areas or big city centers. This restricted the availability of services to stroke patients on time. Ultimately, the hospital or service providers serving stroke patients in outlying areas faced severe financial issues and demanded reimbursements for better revenue and services. The debate led the Furthering Access to Stroke Telemedicine (FAST) to expand its reimbursement program to more areas.
Related: Why Is Telestroke Important?
With the new passing act, Furthering Access to Stroke Telemedicine (FAST) expanded its services area. The FAST action stated they had approved expansion of telestroke services to urban areas and the corresponding suburban regions. Noting the process, the spokesperson highlighted the need for quick and timely services to stroke patients. The medicare act for stroke highlighted that services would be paid for reimbursement without restrictions on localities. The reimbursement program will fund hospitals and clinics for providing telestroke medicare to remote areas. Specialists can now access patients on the way to the hospital for early treatments in stroke attacks. They can also assist paramedics and doctors available to treat patients in outlying areas.
The reimbursement process for telestroke will help thousands of stroke patients in the large domain. Due to the increasing ratio of stroke patients, telestroke will not only result in early diagnosis or evaluation of a patient’s health but also provide instant treatment and aid to patients suffering from acute stroke. However, the simple means of payments can serve as an effective strategy to increase reimbursement. Furthermore, it will also fulfill the purpose of expansion of this bill.
Telestroke CPT codes
The CPT codes for telestroke provide information about stroke patients. The codes are used to cover data about patients with acute stroke to ensure telehealth at diagnostic, evaluative, and treatment stages. These three modes are specific for remote patient monitoring. In addition, these codes use telehealth communication to talk to patients and their families. The difference in these codes is based on time constraints. These codes assign different time ranges to patients to acquire telehealth services for stroke.
CPT code G0425
CPT code G0425 is helpful to attain telehealth services from doctors for patients suffering from acute stroke. This code covers an online consultation of 30 minutes.
CPT code G0426
Telestroke CPT code G0426 covers a time of 50 minutes for communication via telehealth. This code is also for emergencies and patients with acute stroke..
CPT code G0427
CPT code G0427 is another code for consultation in emergency conditions of stroke patients. This code is for telehealth consultation and covers 70 minutes of talk for telestroke using online means for patients.
Telestroke Medicare Reimbursement
With the help of telestroke medicare reimbursement, insurers, hospitals, clinics, and medicare institutions can better monetize stroke patients by using technology. Furthermore, once obtained, the permanent reimbursement process can benefit the service providers to generate revenue and get maximum patient satisfaction output.
Related: What Is Teleneurology?
NeuroX minimizes the chances of disability and death among stroke patients by providing timely services with our telestroke unit. The telestroke department will notify doctors and specialists whenever they receive a stroke patient’s update. The doctors then undergo initial diagnosis with the help of paramedical staff or family members next to the patients. After diagnosis, our team of experts will assist by providing telemedicine and necessary measures unless the patient is delivered to the hospital.