logo image
  • News
    • People Moves
    • Deal Wins
    • Demand Drivers
    • M&A and Funding
    • Financial Results
    • Technology
    • Academia
    • Industry News
    • Features
    • Machine Translation
    • — Divider —
    • Slator Pro
    • — Divider —
    • Press Releases
    • Sponsored Content
  • Data & Research
    • Research Reports & Pro Guides
    • Language Industry Investor Map
    • Real-Time Charts of Listed LSPs
    • Language Service Provider Index
  • Podcasts & Videos
  • Events
    • Design Thinking – February 2021
    • — Divider —
    • SlatorCon Coverage
    • Other Events
  • Directory
  • RFP Center
  • Jobs
MENU
  • News
    • People Moves
    • Deal Wins
    • Demand Drivers
    • M&A and Funding
    • Financial Results
    • Technology
    • Academia
    • Industry News
    • Features
    • Machine Translation
    • — Divider —
    • Slator Pro
    • — Divider —
    • Press Releases
    • Sponsored Content
  • Data & Research
    • Research Reports & Pro Guides
    • Language Industry Investor Map
    • Real-Time Charts of Listed LSPs
    • Language Service Provider Index
  • Podcasts & Videos
  • Events
    • Design Thinking – February 2021
    • — Divider —
    • SlatorCon Coverage
    • Other Events
  • Directory
  • RFP Center
  • Jobs

Advertise on Slator! Download the 2021 Online Media Kit Now

  • Slator Market Intelligence
  • Slator Advertising Services
  • Slator Advisory
  • Login
Search
Generic filters
Exact matches only
Advertisement
Interpreting Providers React to US Medicare Telehealth Expansion

10 months ago

April 3, 2020

Interpreting Providers React to US Medicare Telehealth Expansion

Demand Drivers ·

by Marion Marking

On April 3, 2020

10 months ago
Demand Drivers ·

by Marion Marking

On April 3, 2020

Interpreting Providers React to US Medicare Telehealth Expansion

In light of the current global pandemic, the US government expanded Medicare coverage to include medical services furnished through telehealth beginning March 6, 2020, “on a temporary and emergency basis.”

According to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS.gov), Medicare will now pay for “office, hospital, and other visits furnished via telehealth across the country and including in patient’s places of residence.”

Medicare is the US public health insurance program for patients age 65 and over, as well as those with certain disabilities. As defined by CMS.gov, telehealth and telemedicine refer to the exchange of medical information via electronic communication to improve a patient’s health.

Advertisement

“We see the CMS expansion of telehealth services as a really, really, really good thing,” said Dieter Runge, co-founder and VP of Marketing & Global Business Development at interpreting software startup Boostlingo. “US healthcare workers and patients alike in the current Covid-19 epoch are really going to need it, now more than ever! There is no good reason anymore, as far as I’m concerned, not to be able to access a professional medical interpreter whenever you need one. And let’s face it, clear communication in dire healthcare situations is a lifesaver.”

Slator 2019 US Healthcare Interpreting Report

Data and Research
25-page report. US healthcare market overview. Role of the language services industry. Market size. Competitive landscape. Biz Dev and Sales.
$170 BUY NOW

While he had not, as yet, seen specific details around language access under this new expansion, Runge said, “I would love to actually see that in there. So I would like to encourage all telehealth providers, and folks on the buy-side of telehealth, not to forget about language support and to specifically push for language technology resources including, of course, remote interpreting technologies.”

“I would like to encourage all telehealth providers, and folks on the buy-side of telehealth, not to forget about language support” — Dieter Runge, co-founder, Boostlingo

Scott Klein, President and CEO of LanguageLine, concurred, calling the Medicare telehealth expansion “a big deal indeed for video and audio on-demand interpreting,” although “we need to continue to educate healthcare organizations about the need to include language access in their telehealth platforms.”

LanguageLine is a major language service provider to the US government.

Slator RFP Service - Request for Proposal

RFP Center

Business Development, Market Intelligence
Receive daily email alerts of tenders and RFPs issued by governments, NGOs and private entities from across the world.
BUY NOW

Klein said Covid-19 only “accelerated a trend that we already saw developing” and that, prior to recent events, “healthcare organizations were already adopting telehealth technology at an impressive rate.”

“The Medicare expansion of telehealth is indeed a big deal for video and audio on-demand interpreting” — Scott Klein, President and CEO, LanguageLine

He added, “While most medical office buildings and primary care offices are shuttered indefinitely and travel restrictions are on the rise, care must continue for the 25 million limited-English speakers living in the United States, as well as the 10 million residents who are deaf or hard of hearing.”

Another recent nudge in the adoption of telehealth: On March 30, 2020, the Federal Communications Commission, announced a USD 200m telehealth plan for healthcare providers to “purchase telecommunications, broadband connectivity, and devices necessary for providing telehealth services.”

SlatorSweep - Daily Market Intelligence

SlatorSweep

Data and Research, Market Intelligence
Curated news from thousands of sources, SlatorSweep’s daily news service gives you a competitive edge on time sensitive market intelligence.
BUY NOW

According to Boostlingo’s Runge, “As a remote interpreting technology company, news like this, which heralds a new focus and serious investment in improving connectivity in the healthcare sector, is music to our ears. Another quality of life win for future telehealth patients with language service needs!”

Even before the current crisis, telehealth and remote interpreting were a key focus in US healthcare. In late January 2020, AMN Healthcare purchased remote interpreting provider Stratus Video for USD 475m in one of the largest language industry deals ever.

TAGS

BoostlingoCenters for Medicare & Medicaid ServicesCMScoronacoronavirusCovid-19Dieter RungeFederal Communications CommissionLanguageLineMedicareScott KleinScott W. Kleintelehealthtelemedicine
SHARE
Marion Marking

By Marion Marking

Slator consultant and corporate communications professional who enjoys exploring Asian cities.

Advertisement

SUBSCRIBE TO THE SLATOR WEEKLY

Language Industry Intelligence
In Your Inbox. Every Friday

SUBSCRIBE

SlatorSweepSlatorPro
ResearchRFP CENTER

PUBLISH

PRESS RELEASEDIRECTORY LISTING
JOB ADEVENT LISTING

Bespoke advisory including speaking, briefings and M&A

SLATOR ADVISORY
Advertisement

Featured Reports

See all
Slator 2020 Language Industry M&A and Funding Report

Slator 2020 Language Industry M&A and Funding Report

by Slator

Slator 2021 Data-for-AI Market Report

Slator 2021 Data-for-AI Market Report

by Slator

Slator 2020 Medtech Translation and Localization Report

Slator 2020 Medtech Translation and Localization Report

by Slator

Pro Guide: Sales and Marketing for Language Service Providers

Pro Guide: Sales and Marketing for Language Service Providers

by Slator

Press Releases

See all
Across Systems will be part of the Volaris Group

Across Systems will be part of the Volaris Group

by Across Systems GmbH

How Localex Made It Through the Pandemic

How Localex Made It Through the Pandemic

by Localex

Join Us for the First Virtual Together 2021 Next Month!

Join Us for the First Virtual Together 2021 Next Month!

by Elia

Upcoming Events

See All
  1. Handling Sensitive Information Webinar

    Handling Sensitive Calls with Limited English Proficient Consumers

    by Lionbridge

    · February 10

    Learn more about how Lionbridge Over-the-Phone Interpretation Services can help bridge communication gaps with limited...

    More info FREE

Featured Companies

See all
Text United

Text United

Memsource

Memsource

Wordbank

Wordbank

Protranslating

Protranslating

Seprotec

Seprotec

Versacom

Versacom

SDL

SDL

Smartling

Smartling

Lingotek

Lingotek

XTM International

XTM International

Smartcat

Smartcat

Translators without Borders

Translators without Borders

STAR Group

STAR Group

memoQ Translation Technologies

memoQ Translation Technologies

Advertisement

Popular articles

Why Netflix Shut Down Its Translation Portal Hermes

Why Netflix Shut Down Its Translation Portal Hermes

by Esther Bond

Top Language Industry Quotes of 2020

Top Language Industry Quotes of 2020

by Monica Jamieson

The Slator 2020 Language Service Provider Index

The Slator 2020 Language Service Provider Index

by Slator

SlatorPod: The Weekly Language Industry Podcast

connect with us

footer logo

Slator makes business sense of the language services and technology market.

Our Company

  • Support
  • About us
  • Terms & Conditions
  • Privacy Policy

Subscribe to the Slator Weekly

Language Industry Intelligence
In Your Inbox. Every Friday

© 2021 Slator. All rights reserved.

Sign up to the Slator Weekly

Join over 13,000 subscribers and get the latest language industry intelligence every Friday

Your information will never be shared with third parties. No Spam.