Bill would authorize more telemedicine services at ACOs

Legislation proposed in the House seeks to improve accountable care organizations (ACOs) by allowing them to expand their use of telemedicine.

The ACO Improvement Act, introduced by Reps. Diane Black (R-Tenn.) and Peter Welch (D-Vt.), would authorize ACOs to utilize remote patient monitoring and specialized technology that delivers images to remote providers, according to Politico.

The bill also seeks to improve care coordination by better facilitating data exchange between the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services and ACOs.

“It is unfortunate that the current fee for service payment system does little to encourage and incentivize providers and patients to use the most appropriate and effective healthcare options. By incentivizing providers to focus on improving healthcare outcomes instead of increasing the quantity of services provided, this legislation will help improve care coordination, increase efficiency and, mostly importantly, ensure the patient receives the best care possible,” said Rep. Black in a statement.