[ORTCCTelehealth-TAO] Fwd: Senator Tom Udall Introduces Major Telehealth Legislation; Includes TLI-Endorsed Credentialing and Privileging Provisions

Wed Nov 11 11:25:47 PST 2009

Greetings,

Below is a summary of  S 2741 introduced by Sen Tom Udall of New Mexico.
While this is a stand alone bill dealing with telehealth issues, every
effort will be made to get all of parts of it included in the Health Care
Reform package.

The text of the bill is not yet available, but the summary indicates that it
will address both credentialing and privileging by proxy.  As you recall
privleging by proxy is not included in the House Health Care Reform
package.  I will send you the pertinent text from the bill as soon as it is
available.

Cathy

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Telehealth Leadership Initiative <info at telehealthleadership.org>
Date: Tue, Nov 10, 2009 at 2:41 PM
Subject: Senator Tom Udall Introduces Major Telehealth Legislation; Includes
TLI-Endorsed Credentialing and Privileging Provisions
To: csbritain at gmail.com

          *

Telehealth News Update  *

[image: TLI logo]

*Telehealth Leadership Initiative*

 *Telehealth Leadership Initiative*

1500 K Street, NW
Suite 1100
Washington, DC 20005
www.telehealthleadership.org
    *Senator Udall Introduces The TECH Act, Telehealth Supporters Hopeful to
have Provisions Included in Senate's Health Care Reform Bill...

*
The problem confronting the telehealth community regarding credentialing and
privileging is a step closer to a solution, with the introduction of the
Rural Telemedicine Enhancing Community Health (TECH) Act of 2009 (S. 2741),
sponsored by Senator Tom Udall (D-NM).

TECH addresses the issue of credentialing and privileging of telehealth
providers by requiring the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS)
to allow credentialing and privileging by proxy.  This language aims to
decrease the administrative and financial burden that is often caused by
requiring telehealth providers to be individually credentialed and
privileged by all hospitals in which they administer care, via telehealth.

The Senator's credentialing and privileging language for telehealth
providers is more expansive than the language included in the House-passed
health care reform bill.  In contrast, the Senate language requires CMS to
develop regulations to implement both a process for telehealth practitioners
to be credentialed and privileged by proxy, as well as a "hold harmless"
criteria for those institutions using credentialing and privileging by
proxy.  The "hold harmless" criteria would remain until CMS's regulations
regarding these issues are finalized.

This credentialing and privileging provision is jointly endorsed by TLI, The
Joint Commission, and the American Telemedicine Association.

In addition, the Udall legislation also calls for the establishment of
Telehealth Pilot Projects to analyze clinical outcomes and the cost
effectiveness of using telehealth services to provide health care/therapies
for chronic diseases and conditions.  The legislation also aims to increase
access for tele-stroke services and telehealth services administered at
Indian Health Service facilities.

The introduction of this legislation is a huge success for the telehealth
community and those remote, rural, and underserved populations that rely on
telehealth for quality health care services.  However, there is still a lot
of work to be done to ensure that the TECH Act is included in the Senate's
overall health care reform bill.

The telehealth community needs your help to gain Senate support for this
initiative!! This can be done by contacting your state's Senators (phone
call, e-mail, and/or letter) urging them to include S. 2741 in the Senate's
health care reform bill.

Please click here<http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1102817529780&s=4441&e=001MNKwa2piUUvpXqoql7ipI6_MQ4-53iePx1sKfyv72WBOpP8mnFG1bz2jClfws2Lrbx5UYMPxFI8QgrSUmMAryPd3kGDCUtNOHaLmBZ4kOXOFBaeGuN3wL7m4nZV3BmQRp1x83mdu8kqN29b1oEmAb_pRt4ZCdRSAkj_iEgzZoE8mCGkLh7lZeQ==>to
find your state's Senators and contact information.
    *The House's Health Care Reform Bill Passes - Telehealth Provisions
Included!!*
The House voted 220-215 late Saturday night in favor, of The *Affordable
Health Care for America Act* (H.R. 3962).  The President referred to the
House's votes as "historic" and is calling upon the Senate to see this bill
through to completion.

This legisation is considered to be the largest expasnion of health care
coverage since Medicare was passed into law in 1965.  Overall, the House
bill includes provisions that will provide coverage for 96 percent of
Americans, according to the Congressional Budget Office.  The House bill
also included major wins for the telehealth community, allowing for renal
dialysis facilities as originating sites, creating of the Telehealth
Advisory Committee, and permitting credentialing by proxy for telehealth
providers.
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-- 
Catherine S. Britain
csbritain at gmail.com
541-910-7366
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