Senate Veterans Affairs Committee takes evidence on VETS Act (US)

November 21, 2015 | by

Further to our report in October on the introduction of the Veterans E-Health & Telemedicine [grow_thumb image=”https://telecareaware.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Dept-of-VA-logo.jpg” thumb_width=”150″ /]Support Act (“Veterans eHealth & Telemedicine”, 10 October 2015), Sen. Joni Ernst’s website reports that Sen. Ernst was the first witness to testify in front of the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee on Wednesday (19 November 2015) about the proposed legislation.

“The VA has been practicing telemedicine since 2001, and they are largely cited as leaders and innovators in the field. Their efforts in telemedicine have saved money and veterans’ time by eliminating often an hour or more long drives to the VA, and reducing bed days at the VA” Ernst is reported to have said.

“For example: According to the VA, in Fiscal Year 2014, telehealth reduced bed days of care by 54%, reduced hospital admissions by 32%, and saved $34 in travel savings per  consultation. (more…)

Veterans eHealth & Telemedicine

October 10, 2015 | by

Currently in the US, the Department of Veteran Affairs may waive [grow_thumb image=”https://telecareaware.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Dept-of-VA-logo.jpg” thumb_width=”150″ /]the state license requirements for telemedicine services if both the healthcare professional and the patient are located at facilities owned by the Federal Government, according to Sen Joni Ernst from Iowa (see Ernst pushes for expansion of telehealth care for veterans). She is introducing the Veterans E-Health & Telemedicine Support Act in the Senate which, if enacted, would permit VA to allow the use of any location, such as a patient’s home. This, it is argued, will give better access to elderly, disabled and rural veterans. Ernst says that with 21 million veterans nationwide and 12% of veterans receiving some form of telehealth care in 2014 this could reduce costs for the VA. It is. however, not clear how many of the veterans receiving telemedicine care necessarily need out-of-state healthcare professionals to provide that care.

A similar Act is being introduced (or rather, re-introduced) in the House of Representatives by Rep Charles Rangel, a Democrat from New York with 18 co-sponsors (see E-Health Legislative Summary: The Veterans E-Health & Telemedicine Support Act of 2015). That act has previously been introduced in the House in 2012 and 2013 according Govtrack and its chances of being enacted this time round are considered very low (1%).