Whether legislators agree may depend substantially on a report from MedPAC, the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission that advises Congress on Medicare payments, which is due by mid-March.
Critics question whether the service will be quite so wallet-friendly when used en masse, warning of costs from telehealth visits that supplement, rather than substitute, in-person visits.
“The healthcare system is still being educated in terms of the value of telehealth and where it’s best suited,” says Matthew Gillmor, an analyst with brokerage Baird.
Still, Jason Gorevic, chief executive of Teladoc, points hopefully to the furthest along of the four bills—the telehealth-friendly CHRONIC Care Act, which was recently approved by the Senate and seeks to promote home-based care and expand the remote treatment of stroke and dialysis patients.
“The current crystal ball on Washington looks like the Centers For Medicare And Medicaid Services will allow Medicare Advantage plans to include telehealth in their bid for the 2020 plan year,” Gorevic tells Reuters.
