Policy in Plainer English

Transportation and Telehealth

June 23, 2020 02:00 - 15 minutes - 10.4 MB

This episode starts where we probably would have started a telehealth series in normal, non-COVID-19 times . . . looking at telehealth as one of the tools available to help overcome transportation-based barriers to accessing health care. Chris Towne, of Northern Counties Health Care*, and Dr. Brian Bates, of Mountain Health Center, join us to discuss this issue. If you want to read more about options for public transit, including the state's plan for connecting patients to medical appointme...

Telehealth and Global Budgets

June 09, 2020 11:00 - 16 minutes - 11.5 MB

Here we check back in on a topic from Season One - global budgets. You may remember this as the final phase of our journey into value-based payment reform. But if this is the first time you've heard that phrase, never fear - we give a quick recap at the beginning. And an even shorter one here: A global budget means that instead of getting a fee for every service performed, health care providers or a network of health care providers (aka an Accountable Care Organization or ACO) get an annua...

Telehealth and Provider Consultations

June 02, 2020 10:00 - 13 minutes - 9.38 MB

In this episode we're joined by Katie Marvin, MD, from Community Health Services of Lamoille Valley (CHSLV) and Jennifer Fenn, NP, from Northern Tier Center for Health (NOTCH) to talk about provider-to-provider connections through telehealth. One thing this episode doesn't touch on is what is reimbursable in these systems, which use specialist input to keep treatment in primary care. There's a mixture of reimbursable and non-reimbursable items in this conversation. eConsults are one form o...

Teledentistry

May 26, 2020 11:00 - 12 minutes - 8.74 MB

At the end of last week, Governor Scott and the Vermont Department of Health authorized dental practices to start accepting non-emergency patients for the first time since the COVID-19 emergency began. Because of its aerosol generating procedures and the creation of droplets when performing work in mouths, dentistry has been particularly hard hit by this pandemic. Here we discuss some of the options available for remote work. This episode features Dr. Rachel Rivard, Dental Director at Commu...

Teledentistry

May 26, 2020 11:00 - 12 minutes - 8.74 MB

At the end of last week, Governor Scott and the Vermont Department of Health authorized dental practices to start accepting non-emergency patients for the first time since the COVID-19 emergency began. Because of its aerosol generating procedures and the creation of droplets when performing work in mouths, dentistry has been particularly hard hit by this pandemic. Here we discuss some of the options available for remote work. This episode features Dr. Rachel Rivard, Dental Director at Commu...

Telehealth Reimbursement & COVID-19 Part Two

May 16, 2020 22:00 - 13 minutes - 9.4 MB

Our second episode on Telehealth Reimbursement during COVID-19 looks at the systems used to set payment for telemedicine services. If you want more details on evolving Medicare telehealth billing guidance in response to COVID-19, see this video from CMS, updated on May 8th If you want lots of details on Medicare billing as it relates to FQHCs, visit the Bi-State Medicare Guidance page, which is regularly updated and contains links to key CMS documents. If you want to fact check the cla...

Broadband for Telehealth

May 14, 2020 11:00 - 10 minutes - 7.41 MB

This episode tackles broadband deployment in Vermont and telehealth in approximately ten minutes. . . obviously, we don't include everything. Below are some links to help you learn more. We thank Clay Purvis and Rob Fish of the Vermont Department of Public Service for being generous with their time on this topic, and Northern Counties Health Care for sponsoring this special series on telehealth during COVID-19. Overview of what we mean by "high speed" (or any speed) Internet Dept of Publi...

Telehealth and the Telephone Epilogue - CCM

May 05, 2020 10:00 - 9 minutes - 6.47 MB

In an epilogue to the Telehealth and the Telephone episode (which got a little long on us) we present this quick look a specific program used by FQHCs and other practices, the Medicare Chronic Care Management Program. It’s useful to consider because of its emphasis on establishing a regular check-in with patients, and has been utilized to continue and increase those check-ins during COVID-19. Here, Nicole Keaty, an RN at Little Rivers Health Center, explains how she is using the program. Ch...

Telehealth and the Telephone

April 28, 2020 11:00 - 16 minutes - 11.1 MB

This episode of Policy in Plainer English tackles Telehealth and the Telephone, with Dr. Audrey Von Lepel (NOTCH) and Dr. Adam Greenlee (Community Health Centers of Burlington). We thank Northern Counties Health Care for supporting this series. For all the details you could ever want on telehealth during COVID-19, visit this provider resource page from Bi-State Primary Care Association. Update (4/30): Since this episode was first recorded, Medicare has adjusted audio-only telephone options...

Telehealth Reimbursement & COVID-19

April 23, 2020 03:00 - 8 minutes - 5.53 MB

As foreshadowed in the previous episode, we can't go much further into exploring telehealth during COVID-19, and its prospects for being available after COVID-19, without discussing reimbursement. So here we dip our toes in. If you want to do more than toe-dip, the entire narration can be considered an audio introduction to this guide to telehealth expansion from Bi-State Primary Care Association, which you can read at your leisure. New rules get released pretty much daily, so if you follow...

Telehealth Special Series - Intro

April 22, 2020 01:00 - 7 minutes - 4.84 MB

Around the beginning of March, life got very busy in the health care world. Producing episodes of Policy in Plainer English was not top of the to-do list. At the same time, responding to the COVID-19 crisis is a pivotal moment in health care and an important time to share information about health care policies. With that in mind, we're back with a streamlined-for-easier-editing (yet still flawless in content) format for Policy in Plainer English PHE Edition. Here, we begin a series on Tele...

HPSAs (Health Professional Shortage Areas)

February 17, 2020 23:00 - 5 minutes - 3.66 MB

Luca Fernandez, from the State Office of Rural Health and & Primary Care, which is within the Vermont Department of Health explains HPSAs - a particular term you'll hear come up the moment you dip a toe into the waters of health care workforce development. You can browse HPSAs online here - remember that this podcast is talking primarily about geographic HPSAs, not auto-HPSAs or facility HPSAs, so set your search terms accordingly. Vermont Department of Health (VDH) workforce data, includ...

Telemedicine vs. Telehealth

February 09, 2020 17:46 - 4 minutes - 3.17 MB

In this mini-episode we pause for a moment to describe the difference between telemedicine and telehealth. Yes, there's a difference. Yes, it's confusing.

Bonus: Telemedicine vs. Telehealth

February 09, 2020 17:46 - 4 minutes - 3.17 MB

In this mini-episode we pause for a moment to describe the difference between telemedicine and telehealth. Yes, there's a difference. Yes, it's confusing.

Electronic Health Record (EHR)

January 12, 2020 00:13 - 9 minutes - 6.74 MB

An interview with Dr. Anje Van Berckelaer of Battenkill Valley Health Center about Electronic Health Records (EHRs). Find show notes and links to all the episodes at plainerenglish.org Background music is by FesliyanStudios.com

Community Health Needs Assessments

November 13, 2019 11:44 - 10 minutes - 7.06 MB

An interview with Dan Bennett of Gifford Health Care about Community Health Needs Assessments. CHNAs are publicly available, check out Gifford's for an example. This Green Mountain Care Board presentation from June 2019 summarizes common themes from CHNAs submitted with hospital budgets, and the GMCB also publishes an online library of the CHNAs they receive. Background music is by FesliyanStudios.com

Attributed Lives

October 29, 2019 02:52 - 11 minutes - 7.92 MB

An interview with Alicia Cooper from the Department of Vermont Health Access about the one denominator to rule them all, Attributed Lives. Find show notes and more episodes at www.plainerenglish.org. Background music is by FesliyanStudios.com

Welcome to Payment Reform

September 19, 2019 19:20 - 21 minutes - 14.6 MB

In this extended episode, Helen Labun and Georgia Maheras of Bi-State Primary Care Association provide an introduction to the topics covered in our "Payment Reform" series of episodes. Listen to the full series: All Payer Model ACO (Accountable Care Organization) SIM Grants (Mini Episode) Risk Corridors HCP LAN APM Framework Global Budgets Attributed Lives Do you prefer a different format for learning about payment reform? We also have done webinars on this topic, here is a recording...

Global Budgets

September 17, 2019 20:56 - 11 minutes - 7.86 MB

An interview with Lawrence Miller of Five Vine Consulting about global budgets and their place in health care payment reform. Find show notes and more episodes at www.plainerenglish.org. Background music is by FesliyanStudios.com

HCP LAN APM Framework

September 17, 2019 14:15 - 9 minutes - 6.57 MB

An interview with Ena Backus from the Vermont Agency of Human Services about the HCP LAN APM Framework, which maps a path through payment reform. Find show notes and more episodes at www.plainerenglish.org. Background music is by FesliyanStudios.com

UDS

August 27, 2019 14:56 - 10 minutes - 7.03 MB

An interview with Heather Skeels of Bi-State Primary Care Association about UDS, a data set used to track the performance of certain types of primary care providers (and which offers some insight about the quantity of data floating around in health care). Find 2019 UDS data for Vermont FQHCs at this link. Background music is by FesliyanStudios.com

1:8 UDS

August 27, 2019 14:56 - 10 minutes - 7.03 MB

Policy in Plainer English explains basic concepts in Vermont's health care policy. This episode: an interview with Heather Skeels about UDS, a data set used to track the performance of certain types of primary care providers (and which offers some insight about the quantity of data floating around in health care). Find links to all the episodes at plainerenglish.orgBackground music is by FesliyanStudios.com

Risk Corridors

August 11, 2019 19:02 - 10 minutes - 7.35 MB

An interview with Michael Costa, CEO of Northern Counties Health Care, about adding downside risk to ACO contracts with risk corridors. This is an important step in moving through different phases of health care payment reform, even if it lacks a good acronym. Background music is by FesliyanStudios.com

1:7 Risk Corridors

August 11, 2019 19:02 - 10 minutes - 7.35 MB

Policy in Plainer English explains basic concepts in Vermont's health care policy. This episode: an interview with Michael Costa about adding downside risk to ACO contracts with risk corridors. This is an important step in moving through different phases of health care payment reform, even if it lacks a good acronym. Find links to all the episodes at plainerenglish.orgBackground music is by FesliyanStudios.com

The Health Care Advocate Vs. Paperwork

July 24, 2019 20:23 - 12 minutes - 8.66 MB

An interview with Amelia Schlossberg and Marjorie Stinchcombe from the Office of the Health Care Advocate about navigating the paperwork associated with Medicaid and Medicare enrollment. Background music is by FesliyanStudios.com

1:6 The Health Care Advocate Vs. Paperwork

July 24, 2019 20:23 - 12 minutes - 8.66 MB

Policy in Plainer English explains basic concepts in Vermont's health care policy. This episode: an interview with Amelia Schlossberg and Marjorie Stinchcombe about navigating the paperwork associated with Medicaid and Medicare enrollment. Find links to all the episodes at plainerenglish.orgBackground music is by FesliyanStudios.com

1:5 Total Cost of Care

May 03, 2019 21:15 - 8 minutes - 5.88 MB

Policy in Plainer English explains basic concepts in Vermont's health care policy. This episode: Total Cost of Care with Sarah Lindberg. Find links to all the episodes at plainerenglish.orgBackground music is by FesliyanStudios.com

Total Cost of Care

May 03, 2019 21:15 - 8 minutes - 5.88 MB

Part two of our conversation with Sarah Lindberg from the Green Mountain Care Board, this episode looks at the Total Cost of Care. Check out the VHCURES episode first for this to make more sense. Background music is by FesliyanStudios.com

VHCURES

April 30, 2019 12:58 - 9 minutes - 6.75 MB

Sarah Lindberg from the Green Mountain Care Board explains the VHCURES database, which sets the stage for our next episode, calculating the Total Cost of Care. Background music is by FesliyanStudios.com

1:4 VHCURES

April 30, 2019 12:58 - 9 minutes - 6.75 MB

Policy in Plainer English explains basic concepts in Vermont's health care policy. This episode: VHCURES, with Sarah Lindberg. Find links to all the episodes at plainerenglish.orgBackground music is by FesliyanStudios.com

SIM Grants

April 20, 2019 02:37 - 4 minutes - 2.78 MB

In this mini-episode of the Policy in Plainer English podcast, Georgia Maheras explains what the SIM Grant is and why Vermont is awesome. Access all of our episodes at PlainerEnglish.org Background music by FesliyanStudios.com

Bonus: SIM Grants

April 20, 2019 02:37 - 4 minutes - 2.78 MB

Georgia Maheras from Bi-State Primary Care Association explains what the SIM Grant is and why Vermont is awesome. Background music by FesliyanStudios.com

ACO (Accountable Care Organization)

April 18, 2019 18:21 - 10 minutes - 6.95 MB

Kate Simmons from Bi-State Primary Care Association explains ACOs, and in particular shared savings model ACOs. Future episodes will look at other structures these organizations can take. Background music is by FesliyanStudios.com

1:3 ACO (Accountable Care Organization)

April 18, 2019 18:21 - 10 minutes - 6.95 MB

Policy in Plainer English explains basic concepts in Vermont's health care policy. This episode: ACO's, with Kate Simmons. Find links to all the episodes at plainerenglish.org Background music is by FesliyanStudios.com

1:2 Green Mountain Care Board

April 11, 2019 02:57 - 9 minutes - 6.34 MB

Policy in Plainer English explains basic concepts in Vermont's health care policy. This episode: the Green Mountain Care Board, with Robin Lunge. With bonus atmospheric effects of an icy rain outside with wind that throws the ice chunks against the office window for portions of the interview, that's April in Vermont. Find links to all the episodes at plainerenglish.org Background music is by FesliyanStudios.com

Green Mountain Care Board

April 11, 2019 02:57 - 9 minutes - 6.34 MB

An explanation of the Green Mountain Care Board, with Board member Robin Lunge. With bonus atmospheric effects of an icy rain outside with wind that throws the ice chunks against the office window for portions of the interview, that's April in Vermont. Background music is by FesliyanStudios.com

1:1 All-Payer Model

April 07, 2019 16:57 - 9 minutes - 6.3 MB

Policy in Plainer English explains basic concepts in Vermont's health care policy. This episode: the All-Payer Model, with Lawrence Miller. Find links to all the episodes at plainerenglish.org Background music is by FesliyanStudios.com

All-Payer Model

April 07, 2019 16:57 - 9 minutes - 6.3 MB

In our pilot episode, Lawrence Miller of Five Vine Consulting explains Vermont's All-Payer Model and why we would like to coordinate payments between Medicaid, Medicare, and Commercial payers as part of health care reform. Background music is by FesliyanStudios.com

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