AMA Endorses Telemedicine Bill
Consumers aren’t the only ones who are clamoring for the more convenient healthcare—it seems that doctors are, too. On February 3, the American Medical Association (AMA) announced its support for the Creating Opportunities Now for Necessary and Effective Care Technologies (CONNECT) for Health Act, a telemedicine bill that aims to increase patients’ access to providers and reduce healthcare costs.
The bill was introduced in the U.S. Senate with bipartisan support on the same day. In a press release, AMA President Steven J. Stack, MD, noted that an independent study conducted by Avalare Health found that the bill could save nearly $2 billion over the next decade. He described the AMA’s belief that the bill could promote new delivery models that encourage coordinated, patient-centered care. As Stack further explained, “Importantly, the bill aims to maintain high standards whether a patient is seeing a physician in an office or via telemedicine.”
The parity cited by Stack is key to long-term acceptance of telemedicine as a legitimate healthcare tool; clinicians and patients need to understand that telemedicine offers the same quality of care as in-office visits, and insurers need to recognize the cost savings over in-person care and provide adequate reimbursement.
To learn more about the CONNECT bill, contact us online today at swymed.com/contact.
