Trump's Executive Order on Medicare

In an executive order signed on October 3rd, 2019 at a Florida retirement home, President Trump offered his rebuttal to the “Medicare for All” proposals of his presidential opponents. Within that order is a slew of requests for proposals from Health and Human Services in periods of six months and one year. Among those requests, which are aimed at improving and maximizing both corporate competition and patient choice, are four that mention telehealth and other virtual care technologies.

U.S. President Donald Trump holds up an executive order on Medicare he signed during an event at The Villages retirement community in The Villages, Florida, U.S., October 3, 2019. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque

In the midst of asking for strategies to reduce the unnecessary burdens that Medicare infamously puts of physicians as far as reporting, requirements, and documentation, he asks for price equality between Medicare Advantage plans and fee-for-service Medicare, data transparency on quality and cost measurements for consumers, and barrier reduction for all aspects of Medicare coverage, but especially telehealth and care innovations. He goes so far as to order a full evaluation of the dual reviews done by both the FCC and CMS of new technology as well as a reduction of the time spent making those determinations. President Trump pushes for market-value reimbursement for Medicare providers and coverage of services and products by Medicare Advantage plans that FFS Medicare won’t cover, as well as a full review of the process CMS uses to decide what to cover. 

It is clear that President Trump and his administration are dedicated to the belief that what will save our nation’s broken healthcare system is increasing healthy competition and maximizing informed choices for consumers’ healthcare options, especially those with Federally funded insurance. This order, if nothing else, very clearly communicates their commitment to that process in one of the most sweeping and revolutionary orders of the Trump presidency. Moreover, it is refreshing to hear the benefits of telehealth technology in improving access to the quality of care touted at the highest level of influence and authority. As we wait and watch for those reports and proposals to come in, we can only hope that they will be acted upon and used to promote growth and improvement in the Medicare landscape for everyone, providers and patients alike.

To read the article from mhealthintelligence, click here.
To read the article from MedCityNews, click here. 

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