On February 2, a bipartisan group of senators introduced the CONNECT for Health Act to expand the scope of
Medicare reimbursements for telehealth and remote patient
monitoring services. An identical bill was introduced in the House.
The bill has already been endorsed by numerous organizations,
including AARP, the American Medical Association, the American
Psychological Association, and the American Telemedicine
Association. Its sponsors cite a study claiming that waiving existing
statutory limitations on Medicare payments for telehealth and
remote monitoring services would save the federal government $1.8
billion over 10 years. The bill would permit substitution of
telehealth for in-person services in multiple circumstances, such
as for treating patients with chronic health conditions and meeting
visit requirements for dialysis patients. The bill would also allow
Medicare Advantage plans to use telehealth to provide basic
benefits under Medicare Part C.
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