Healthcare regulation: It’s a challenging, complex, and fascinating thing. And it becomes even more so when new technologies like virtual care are added to the equation. We all know that technology moves at the speed of light – after all, people are now entering the workforce who never lived in a world without the internet. Regulation, however well-intentioned, just can’t keep up.
Fortunately, telemedicine and virtual care are increasingly on the radar of legislators. After attending a gathering at the Senate Broadband Caucus and the American Telemedicine Association’s EDGE conference, both in Washington D.C., I can confirm there is significant interest in the benefits that virtual care can bring to all healthcare stakeholders: Patients, providers, and payers.
Particularly in rural areas, one of the key challenges to making telemedicine and virtual care accessible is reliable, fast internet. This is particularly important for more bandwidth-intensive modes of care like video, but even our online adaptive interview does require an internet connection to function. I was able to present to a number of Senators, staffers, and other interested parties, sharing how the Zipnosis platform works and outlining the benefits that virtual care can bring to both rural and urban populations.
The ATA’s fall event this year was held in D.C., and had a distinct regulatory focus. Discussions focused on virtual care and telemedicine challenges like reimbursement, standard of care, and geographic limitations. It was gratifying to connect with fellow ATA members and hear their perspectives on the current state of virtual care regulation.
Another topic of focus at these meetings and in the virtual care and telemedicine industry, is the Creating Opportunities Now for Necessary and Effective Care Technologies for Health Act of 2017, also known as the CONNECT Act. This is important bipartisan, bicameral legislation that removes CMS barriers to using telehealth for Medicare and Medicaid patients. As a consequence, this bill has industry-wide support—HIMSS named it as one of their 3 Congressional “asks” for the 2017-2018 legislative session.
Currently, the CONNECT Act is with the Senate’s Finance Committee. However, there is clearly an appetite for this type of legislation on the hill. Last month, the Senate unanimously passed the CHRONIC (Creating High-Quality Results and Outcomes Necessary to Improve Chronic Care) Act of 2017, which among other things, addressed expanding access to telehealth for Medicare populations. It’s still early in the legislative process, but I’m hopeful that the CONNECT Act will receive the same support in the Senate, and that both bills will clear the House.
A recent article on the Health Affairs blog noted that access to care is a universal challenge – not just a rural one. Using healthcare policy changes to remove barriers to virtual care and telemedicine is an important aspect of my work at Zipnosis, and I’m pleased to see support for legislation that will do just that.
In addition to being a primary care physician and serving as Senior Vice President of Policy and Strategy at Zipnosis, Dr. Hafner-Fogarty has extensive experience in medical regulation, serving on the MN Board of Medical Practice from 1998-2003, 2004-2010, and 2012-2016. She served as board president in 2009 and has also been involved in medical regulatory activities at the national level.