Balderson, Porter Introduce Bill Embracing the Benefits of Remote Patient Monitoring Technology

Press Release

Congressman Troy Balderson (OH-12) and Congresswomen Katie Porter (CA-45) today introduced bipartisan legislation that would allow patients and health care providers to continue the use of eased restrictions for remote patient monitoring (RPM) services, following the COVID-19 public health emergency (PHE). RPM services are proven to be effective with helping individuals manage their health, such as COPD patients using a real-time, at-home pulse oximeter. Extension of the RPM program has the potential to reduce long-term health care costs, improve health outcomes, and increase options for patients.

RPM services provide a beneficial method for observing and treating patients from the comforts of their own homes. Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, RPM has shown to be an effective alternative to in-person clinical observation for acute and chronic medical conditions. Increased access to these services has the ability to reduce hospital readmission rates. This bill lays the groundwork for future expansion of RPM services.

"A silver lining of the pandemic was the sense of urgency from the government to set aside rigid, ambiguous restrictions and to adopt common sense changes that increased patient flexibility and ultimately led to better health outcomes," said Congressman Balderson. "One of the most notable advancements was the widespread embrace of health technology, such as remote patient monitoring. Now an integral part of health care delivery, our legislation provides an opportunity to make a clear-eyed assessment of the lessons learned and to build from it to enhance access. RPM is especially valuable for seniors and patients requiring distant travel from rural communities."

"This legislation stems from an outpouring of positive feedback about the benefits realized from these services during the pandemic from a long list of patients and providers in my district." added Balderson.

"Telehealth services have been instrumental during the pandemic," said Congresswoman Katie Porter. "Specifically, remote patient monitoring has made it easier for millions to get care at a lower cost and from the comfort of their own home. I'm proud to partner with Congressman Balderson on this commonsense legislation that'll enable more Americans, particularly our seniors, to take advantage of this vital service."

BACKGROUND:

In the 2021 Physician Fee Schedule, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) lowered the duration required by Medicare to bill for RPM services during the PHE. Before the PHE, providers could only bill Medicare for RPM services if they monitored a patient for at least 16 days within a 30-day period. During the PHE, CMS lowered this threshold to allow for a minimum of 2 days of data collection over a 30-day period. This exception is set to expire once the PHE ends.

In addition to extending the 2-day CMS billing threshold for two years, the legislation would require HHS to submit a report to Congress within 18 months after the PHE expires and a second report after five years, analyzing a proper long-term CMS billing threshold. The report provides flexibility to the HHS Secretary to recommend multiple billing thresholds and any new remote monitoring code durations.

The legislation is endorsed by the American Telemedicine Association, Ohio State Wexner Medical Center, Mount Carmel Health System, University Hospitals, Teladoc Health, Health Innovation Alliance, American Heart Association, Medical Device Manufacturers Association, and OhioHealth.

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