CONNECT for Care Act of 2017 

NAACOS has joined more than 40 other health care stakeholders to endorse a bipartisan bill aiming to promote cost-savings and quality care in Medicare by allowing wider use of telehealth and remote patient monitoring (RPM). The Creating Opportunities Now for Necessary and Effective Care Technologies Act or the “CONNECT for Health Act of 2017” was introduced this week by Senators Schatz (D-HI), Wicker (R-MS), Cochran (R-MS), Cardin (D-MD), Thune (R-SD) and Warner (D-VA). 

Provisions in current statute constrain telehealth reimbursement by originating site restrictions, geographic limitations, store-and-forward technologies, distant site providers, and limitations on covered codes. This legislation seeks to lift these restrictions on several provider entities caring for Medicare recipients, including two-sided ACOs. 

It is possible some of the provisions in the CONNECT for Health Act could be rolled into an updated version of the CHRONIC Care Act, expected to be reviewed by the Senate Finance Committee in the next several weeks. NAACOS Government Affairs staff will continue to track the movements of both bills. 

Please show your support for the CONNECT for Health Act by going to the Take Action tab on the NAACOS website and contacting your Senators.