Text: SSB00085 Text: SSB00087 Text: SSB00000 - SSB00099 Text: SSB Index Bills and Amendments: General Index Bill History: General Index
PAG LIN
1 1 SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO.
1 2 BY (PROPOSED COMMITTEE ON COMMUNICATIONS AND
1 3 INFORMATION POLICY RESOLUTION BY
1 4 CHAIRPERSON DVORSKY)
1 5 A Concurrent Resolution requesting that the Congress
1 6 of the United States direct the Health Care Financ-
1 7 ing Administration to establish a national policy
1 8 no later than July 1, 1995, for Medicare reimburse-
1 9 ment of telemedicine services.
1 10 WHEREAS, telemedicine services can attract physicians to
1 11 rural areas, eliminating provider isolation through readily
1 12 available opportunities for geographically convenient,
1 13 continuing education and access to medical information sources
1 14 and specialists across the state and throughout the nation,
1 15 thereby positively impacting the problem of medical provider
1 16 shortage areas; and
1 17 WHEREAS, telemedicine services enable patients to remain in
1 18 their home communities and hospitals for medical care,
1 19 eliminating the costs of duplicative testing and personnel as
1 20 well as potential threats to patient stability due to multiple
1 21 transfers; and
1 22 WHEREAS, the projected cost savings for patients and
1 23 medical care providers would ultimately result in lower costs
1 24 to state and federal governments and taxpayers; and
1 25 WHEREAS, implementation of telemedicine is dependent upon
1 26 economics involving high initial capital expenditures that
1 27 many Iowa hospitals, especially in rural communities, are
1 28 unable to afford; and
1 29 WHEREAS, the Congress of the United States has expressly
1 30 prohibited the Health Care Financing Administration from
1 31 providing reimbursement for procedures or services not yet
1 32 proven safe or clinically effective, and telemedicine is
1 33 currently considered to be experimental; and
1 34 WHEREAS, all Iowans will benefit from increased access to
1 35 health care services and the lower costs resulting from the
2 1 widespread use of telemedicine; NOW THEREFORE,
2 2 BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE, THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
2 3 CONCURRING, That the General Assembly of the State of Iowa
2 4 respectfully requests that the Congress of the United States
2 5 direct the Health Care Financing Administration to establish a
2 6 national policy for Medicare reimbursement of telemedicine
2 7 services by no later than July 1, 1995; and
2 8 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be
2 9 transmitted to the Speaker of the United States House of
2 10 Representatives, the President of the United States Senate,
2 11 and all members of the Iowa congressional delegation.
2 12 LSB 1891SC 76
2 13 mj/sc/14
Text: SSB00085 Text: SSB00087 Text: SSB00000 - SSB00099 Text: SSB Index Bills and Amendments: General Index Bill History: General Index
Iowa General Assembly
Search: Senate Bills and Amendments (76th General Assembly)
© 1996 Cornell College and League of Women Voters of Iowa
Comments? webmaster@legis.iowa.gov.
Last update: Thu Feb 8 16:38:58 CST 1996
URL: /DOCS/GA/76GA/Legislation/SSB/00000/SSB00086/950201.html
jhf