Medicare rules on HIPAA and phone appointment

With the virus worries and my 5 hour cough with 83% oxygen saturation, I had two virtual appointments today. The pulmonary was via phone. The second with my EP.

My EP is using pMD app. It’s Medicare approved so he gets paid. Pretty nifty app. I can leave messages and uploads and get a video chat appointment.

Just posting this as a FYI there are options on seeing one’s physician during the pandemic. I actually prefer it. It’s quicker if one doesn’t need an exam. If you need an exam that’s something else. No drive time, etc. With my EP I used Kardia 6 lead ecg/ekg plus the blood pressure cuff. Pulmonologist requested I take an oximeter reading and he checked the cpap scores.

Telemedicine is a growing thing and it's long overdue, but I do think this pandemic will spur it along rather quickly.

But I don't quite get how HIPAA and Medicare figure in here.

My EP says pMD is encrypted and HIPAA friendly.

Also I speculate Medicare wants proof of telemedicine appointments to cut down on Medicare fraud. Each pMD appointment leaves a paper trail in length of time, date of appointment. My EP then writes up on his online app the consultation notes. It must be easier to bill Medicare. It’s all there except for status-weight, height, exam notes from listening to your heart etc. that you cannot get virtually.

He says it’s the only way he gets a Medicare to pay is by using Medicare approved pMD.

On another note, home bound kids quarantine since schools closed are using the app Zoom for classroom instruction. It’s new take-social interactive. They have zoom times they must log in for classroom. I joined to video chat with my 10 grandkids all over the world. It’s wonderful. I played games with the kids. Babysat some (older kids).

Today zoom sent me an alert to a 20 minute maximum. Their servers must be full.