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PAG LIN
1 1 HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO.
1 2 BY COMMITTEE ON TECHNOLOGY
1 3 (SUCCESSOR TO HSB 79)
1 4 A Concurrent Resolution requesting that the Congress
1 5 of the United States direct the Health Care Financ-
1 6 ing Administration to establish a national policy
1 7 no later than July 1, 1995, for Medicare reimburse-
1 8 ment of telemedicine services.
1 9 WHEREAS, telemedicine services can attract
1 10 physicians to rural areas, eliminating provider
1 11 isolation through readily available opportunities for
1 12 geographically convenient, continuing education and
1 13 access to medical information sources and specialists
1 14 across the state and throughout the nation, thereby
1 15 positively impacting the problem of medical provider
1 16 shortage areas; and
1 17 WHEREAS, telemedicine services enable patients to
1 18 remain in their home communities and hospitals for
1 19 medical care, eliminating the costs of duplicative
1 20 testing and personnel as well as potential threats to
1 21 patient stability due to multiple transfers; and
1 22 WHEREAS, the projected cost savings for patients
1 23 and medical care providers would ultimately result in
1 24 lower costs to state and federal governments and
1 25 taxpayers; and
1 26 WHEREAS, implementation of telemedicine is
1 27 dependent upon economics involving high initial
1 28 capital expenditures that many Iowa hospitals,
1 29 especially in rural communities, are unable to afford;
1 30 and
2 1 WHEREAS, the Congress of the United States has
2 2 expressly prohibited the Health Care Financing
2 3 Administration from providing reimbursement for
2 4 procedures or services not yet proven safe or
2 5 clinically effective, and telemedicine is currently
2 6 considered to be experimental; and
2 7 WHEREAS, all Iowans will benefit from increased
2 8 access to health care services and the lower costs
2 9 resulting from the widespread use of telemedicine; NOW
2 10 THEREFORE,
2 11 BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, THE
2 12 SENATE CONCURRING, That the General Assembly of the
2 13 State of Iowa respectfully requests that the Congress
2 14 of the United States direct the Health Care Financing
2 15 Administration to establish a national policy that
2 16 will promote Medicare reimbursement of telemedicine
2 17 services by no later than July 1, 1995; and
2 18 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That copies of this
2 19 resolution be transmitted to the Speaker of the United
2 20 States House of Representatives, the President of the
2 21 United States Senate, and all members of the Iowa
2 22 congressional delegation.
2 23 LSB 1891HV 76
2 24 mj/sc/14
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