Since 1999 when I worked with a Swedish integrator on a cellular EMS solution, I have found it quite odd why in the United States why we could not have telemedicine capabilities like they do in the EMEA. Well we do not have a national database and little if any financial incentives! This week Congressman Mike Thompson (D-CA) introduced comprehensive based legislation (HR 6719) written in cooperation with the ATA. The bill proposes major changes in state based physician licensure, as well as expanded coverage of telehealth services in all federally sponsored insurance programs. It also provides for CMS coverage of remote patient monitoring – the first legislative proposal for such change. The bill serves as the starting point for negotiations with the new Congress in 2013 and it is felt that many of it’s provisions will receive broad bipartisan support. (see attached the PDF of the bill).
Currently doctors cannot charge CMS for services unless the patient is in their presence. Most of today’s telemedicine costs are covered by government grants and private payors. The telemedicine market will dramatically expand once CMS begins to reimburse these costs. Although in the past year or so, much interest has been in applications to provide monitoring of a patient’s condition…post discharge. The demographics of the United States for both available doctors and patients as well as the effort to reduce healthcare costs are driving this change.
The timing could not better. LTE is being rolled out, costs have come down for module integration, the smart phone has dominated, and cloud based management is here. All the pieces are in place.
