{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://web.archive.org/web/20131103082739/http://harper.house.gov:80/press-release/bipartisan-telehealth-bill-introduced", "Bipartisan Telehealth Bill Introduced", "2013-10-23", "2013", "2013-10", "Republican", "House", "MS", "Gregg Harper", "H001045", "web.archive.org", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, DC \u2013 Legislation to strengthen Medicare and enhance Medicaid through expanded telemedicine coverage has been introduced by a bipartisan group of House lawmakers.\nThe \u201cTelehealth Enhancement Act of 2013,\u201d authored by U.S. Reps. Gregg Harper (R-Miss.), Mike Thompson (D-Calif.), Devin Nunes (R-Calif.), and Peter Welch (D-Vt.), builds on existing payment innovations. This proposal is the result of a months-long drafting process involving patients, providers, and other industry stakeholders, the bill sponsors say.\n\u201cThese efforts began with a conversation about physician shortages and concerns with patients\u2019 access to quality and affordable health care,\u201d the authors said in a letter urging their colleagues to cosponsor the bill. \u201cUntil we are able to attract more physicians to rural communities and tighten the access gap, the next best alternative is to use technology to connect health professionals with underserved populations \u2013 rural and urban \u2013 through telehealth networks.\u201d\nAmong other reforms, the bill adjusts Medicare home health payments to account for remote patient monitoring and expands coverage to all critical access and sole community hospitals, regardless of metropolitan status. The package also covers home-based video services for hospice care, home dialysis, and homebound beneficiaries.\n\tUnder the bill, states will also have the option of setting up high-risk pregnancy networks within their Medicaid programs. This model centers on the success of state programs, notably Arkansas ANGELS, to use telehealth for the coordination and improvement of at-risk births and neonatal care.\n\u201cOur aim is to complement states that are pioneering telemedicine across the country,\u201d the lawmakers continued. \u201cWe hope to help states lower health costs by encouraging people to adopt healthier lifestyles as well as reducing avoidable hospital visits.\u201d\nMany trade associations have signaled support for the legislation, including the American Telemedicine Association (ATA).\n\u201cStudies have shown that telehealth can improve access, reduce costs and improve the quality of healthcare,\u201d said Jonathan Linkous, chief executive officer of the ATA. \u201cTo unlock this potential, we need to give health providers the ability to use this technology where ever appropriate.\u00a0ATA supports this legislation because it takes a sensible approach to move aside government restrictions and allow patients access to health services wherever they are located.\u00a0Instead of going to the doctor, it allows the doctor to go to the patient.\u201d\nThe bill, H.R. 3306, has been referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce and the House Committee on Ways and Means.\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://web.archive.org/web/20131103082739/http://harper.house.gov:80/press-release/bipartisan-telehealth-bill-introduced"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 2.590287011116743, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}