We are very excited to share that the ‘Medicare Telehealth Parity Act’ has been re-introduced into Congress as bill number HR 2948!
 
This past March,  our MSRC Political Advocacy Contact Team (PACT), Jeremy Bainbridge, Laurie Niemer and Ric Niemer, along with 120 other RT’s from across the country, made the trip to Washington D.C. to meet with members of Congress in an effort to gain support in reintroducing the Medicare Telehealth Parity Act.
The Medicare Telehealth Parity Act expands opportunities for Medicare beneficiaries who suffer from pulmonary disease by:

• covering respiratory services (when furnished via an interactive telecommunications system)
• including an individual’s home as a telehealth site
• providing remote patient monitoring for patients with certain chronic conditions (including COPD) when furnished as part of chronic care management services.

***Most importantly,  this legislation will recognize RT’s as ‘qualified telehealth professionals’ thereby including us under the Medicare statute, which has been a long-time goal of the AARC.

***For more information about Telehealth Medicine, please click here.

In order for the Medicare Telehealth Parity Act to gain the necessary co-sponsors needed to move forward through the legislative process, your State Congressman need to hear from you!

Call or email your State Congressman asking them to support HR 2948

This can be done in 3 easy steps:

1. Click on the provided link which will direct you to AARC’s Capitol Connection: http://capwiz.com/aarc/issues/?style=d
2. Choose the letter type (RT’s, RT Students, Patients, Caregivers, Physician, Supporters of RT profession)
3. Fill in the required fields and submit your email which will be automatically sent to your District Representative and to both Senators.

****Recruit friends, family members, patients, etc…..they can send emails too!

Thank you in advance for your support!

MSRC Legislative Co-Chairs: Jeremy Bainbridge & Teena Culhane
MSRC PACT: Jeremy Bainbridge, Laurie Niemer, Ric Niemer