Reps. Cherfilus-McCormick, Ruiz, Sewell Introduce RPM Cost Sharing Elimination Study Act of 2023
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Reps. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (D-FL), Raul Ruiz (D-CA), and Terri Sewell (D-AL) introduced the RPM Cost Sharing Elimination Study Act of 2023.
The RPM Cost Sharing Elimination Study Act of 2023 would eliminate the 20% copay for remote patient monitoring (RPM) for two years under Traditional Medicare and study the effects of the elimination on patient outcomes in home health, as well as potential cost savings to Medicare. The RPM program, which provides reimbursement for using technology to monitor patients between visits, was introduced by the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) in 2019.
The RPM program mandates the use of a biosensor, often in conjunction with a smartphone app, to monitor patients between appointments. It has been used to monitor and treat diabetes, heart failure, cardiac disorders, and high blood pressure.
“As a former home care executive, I know how valuable remote monitoring can be in equalizing care and giving seniors the tools they need to manage their health from home,” said Congresswoman Cherfilus-McCormick (D-FL). “My colleagues and I hope to identify what steps are needed to improve remote monitoring services and ensure better health outcomes for Medicare enrollees.”
“As an emergency physician, my main priority has always been to protect and strengthen Medicare, especially for our seniors in rural and underserved communities where travel to medical facilities is a challenge,” said Dr. Ruiz (D-CA). “This bill would improve remote patient monitoring and allow us to save more lives by catching emergencies early on.”
“With an increasing number of Americans relying on telehealth, we must ensure that these services are affordable and accessible to those who need them,” said Congresswoman Sewell (D-AL). “This legislation would eliminate cost sharing for remote patient monitoring under the Medicare program, allowing older Americans, especially those in rural areas, the ability to utilize RPM services without the concern for costs.”
“The National Association for Home Care & Hospice (NAHC) applauds Representatives Cherfilus-McCormick, Ruiz, and Sewell for introducing the RPM Cost Sharing Elimination Study Act of 2023,” said NAHC President William Dombi. “Remote physiological monitoring (RPM) is an important innovation that can help optimize care in the home of all kinds while improving patient and family outcomes and satisfaction. Home health agencies have been using RPM for years to support their patients, despite not being reimbursed for it. Unfortunately, RPM is underutilized across the entire Medicare program, partly as a result of outdated payment policies governing its use. By temporarily removing the co-pay for Medicare RPM services, an option open to providers during the COVID PHE, this legislation will remove a key financial barrier to RPM’s wider adoption. NAHC believes the broader implementation of RPM will enable more people to receive care where they want it – their own homes and communities. We look forward to working with these congressional champions on this and other efforts to bolster the care-in-the-home community.”
“The National Rural Health Association applauds Representatives Cherfilus-McCormick, Ruiz, and Sewell for introducing The RPM Cost Sharing Elimination Study Act. Rural Americans must choose between enduring long travel times or paying unnecessary fees for simple and routine monitoring of their health conditions,” said Alan Morgan, CEO of the National Rural Health Association. “This legislation may serve as a substantial step toward improving rural health outcomes by encouraging wider use of Remote Patient Monitoring, which could eliminate travel times for rural patients and reduce the burden on healthcare providers.”
The legislation is endorsed by the National Rural Health Association, the National Association for Home Care & Hospice, and the Partnership for Quality Home Healthcare.
The full text of the legislation can be found here.