By Gail Kalinoski, Contributing Reporter

A bipartisan bill introduced in Congress this week - Creating Opportunities Now for Necessary and Effective Care Technologies (CONNECT) for Health Act – that would expand telehealth services through Medicare is being touted as a way to improve patient care and cut costs for both patients and providers.

CONNECT for Health was introduced Tuesday by Senators Brian Schatz, D-Hawaii; Roger Wicker, R-Miss.; Thad Cochran, R-Miss.; Ben Cardin, D-Md., John Thune, R-S.D., and Mark Warner, D-Va. The following day, an identical bill was introduced in the House by Representatives Diane Black,R-Tenn.; Greg Harper, R-Miss., and Peter Welch, D-Vt., according to Bloomberg BNA.



“Telehealth is the future of health care. It saves money and improves health outcomes,” said Schatz.

The legislation would increase the use of telehealth and remote patient monitoring (RPM) that is allowed by Medicare by waiving some of the restrictions. Specifically it would:

Create a program to help providers meet the goals of the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act and the Merit-based Incentive Payment System through use of telehealth services and RPM;

Expand RPM for patients with chronic conditions;

Increase telehealth and RPM services in community health centers and rural health clinics;

Make telehealth and RPM basic benefits in Medicare Advantage.

Citing a study by Avalere Health commissioned by Third Way, a Washington, D.C.-based think tank, supporters say the legislation could save $1.8 billion over 10 years.

“Technology has enormous potential to transform the Medicare program,” Warner said. “As Governor of Virginia, I saw up close how telehealth improved efficiency, access and outcomes in Medicaid. Moving forward, we should look for more ways to harness innovation and give Medicare providers more tools for delivering care.”

The two Mississippi senators said their state had been on the cutting edge of health care technologies like telehealth and RPM.

“I am proud that Mississippi is a national leader in telehealth. We have improved access, cut costs and increased health care for patients in all corners of our state,” noted Cochran.

Cardin said greater use of technology would result in better outcomes and more timely and efficient use of resources.

“I’ve seen firsthand the positive value of telehealth and remote monitoring in Maryland that connects ICU patients with critical care staff based at larger medical centers,” he said.

The bill has the backing of the American Medical Association and more than 50 other organizations including AARP, American Heart Association/American Stroke Association, American Telemedicine Association, Qualcomm, Intel, Kaiser Permanente, Anthem, The ERISA Industry Committee and National Association of Community Health Centers.

“This legislation has the potential to remove barriers to new health care delivery models that promote coordinated and patient-centered care,” said AMA President Steven J. Stack, M.D. “Importantly, the bill aims to maintain high standards whether a patient is seeing a physician in an office or via telemedicine.”

Sponsors and supporters believe the bill could pass within a few months. Harper, the Mississippi congressman, told Bloomberg BNA that the next step in the House was for the Energy and Commerce Committee to consider it. He said it wouldn’t interfere with other legislation that is also dealing with expansion of telemedicine and Medicare.

The only potential opposition at this time could come from the Congressional Budget Office, which has in the past reported that expansion of Medicare reimbursement for telehealth and RPM services would add costs to Medicare spending overall.