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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
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State
Rep. Mark Cohen |
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Telemedicine reimbursements would lower health-care costs
HARRISBURG, May 15 – State Rep. Mark Cohen, D-Phila., has introduced legislation that would require the state's medical assistance program to reimburse telemedicine services to medical assistance patients at Medicaid rates.
Telemedicine allows patients to visit with physicians live over the Internet and makes it possible for physicians to capture and send video, still images or other data to specialists for diagnosis or follow-up treatment, rather than physically sending the patient to the specialist through referral.
Cohen said telemedicine is becoming more widely used to meet the needs of underserved populations, including people living in rural and remote areas, low-income and uninsured residents, and those enrolled in Medicaid. Other states offer Medicaid reimbursements for telemedicine services, but Pennsylvania does not.
"These services cost less than office visits and are generally used when office visits are deemed unnecessary," Cohen said. "Telemedicine lowers health-care costs, is more convenient to patients by saving travel time and gas money, and allows providers to handle more patients.
"The savings in ambulance costs for transporting medical assistance patients to providers alone are predicted to amount to tens of millions of dollars annually. But, unfortunately, because providers are not reimbursed for telemedicine services to medical assistance patients, many do not offer them."
Cohen's bill (H.B. 2545) was introduced this week and is expected to be referred to the House Health and Human Services Committee for review.
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