Representatives Mike Thompson (D-CA) and Gregg Harper (R-MS) last week introduced bipartisan legislation to expand telehealth services under Medicare. The bill, titled the “Medicare Telehealth Parity Act of 2014” puts telehealth services under Medicare on the path toward parity with in-person healthcare visits.
The legislation expands telehealth in a series of three phases. Phase one expands telehealth services under Medicare for video conferencing and technologies known as store-and-forward which allows clinical information such as videos, data, and x-rays to be stored and then sent to another site for evaluation.
This phase expands these services to all FQHCs, rural health clinics, and in counties within metropolitan statistical areas with populations of less than 50,000. The bill will expand telehealth coverage for certified diabetes educators, speech language therapists, audiologists, respiratory therapists, occupational therapists, and physical therapists. The use of remote patient monitoring for diabetes, congestive heart failure, and COPD will also be incorporated in this phase.
Phase two expands telehealth services under Medicare coverage for video conferencing and store-and-forward technologies in counties located in metropolitan statistical areas with populations of 50,000 to 100,000.
Video conferencing will also extend to a beneficiary’s home for home health services and agencies, durable medical equipment, home dialysis, and hospice. Speech language pathology, audiology, respiratory, occupational and physical therapies will also be covered services under this phase.
Phase three expands telehealth services under Medicare for video conferencing and store-and-forward technologies for counties located in metropolitan statistical areas with populations over 100,000.
The legislation has been referred to the House Energy and Commerce Committee and the House Committee on Ways and Means.