Congress is reconsidering a nationwide telehealth coverage bill, named the Medicare Telehealth Parity Act of 2017, designed to introduce an incremental, though significant, expansion of coverage for telehealth services under the Medicare program. The bipartisan Act is sponsored by Representative Mike Thompson (D-CA), with seven co-sponsors to date (four Republican, three Democrat). If enacted, the Act would modernize the way Medicare reimburses telehealth services by expanding the number of qualifying geographic locations and expanding coverage of telehealth services in a series of three phases.
A previous incarnation of the Act failed to advance, but has been given new life by the recently-formed bipartisan Congressional Telehealth Caucus. The Caucus was founded by Representatives Thompson, Gregg Harper (R-MS), Diane Black (R-TN), and Peter Welch (D-VT), and has garnered additional members in the last couple weeks.
Lexology
7/10/17
Magnolia Tribune
