The bill has the backing of the American Medical Association and more than 50 other organizations including AARP, American Heart Association/American Stroke Association, American Telemedicine Association, Qualcomm, Intel, Kaiser Permanente, Anthem, The ERISA Industry Committee and National Association of Community Health Centers.

“This legislation has the potential to remove barriers to new health care delivery models that promote coordinated and patient-centered care,” said AMA President Steven J. Stack, M.D. “Importantly, the bill aims to maintain high standards whether a patient is seeing a physician in an office or via telemedicine.”

Sponsors and supporters believe the bill could pass within a few months. Harper, the Mississippi congressman, told Bloomberg BNA that the next step in the House was for the Energy and Commerce Committee to consider it. He said it wouldn’t interfere with other legislation that is also dealing with expansion of telemedicine and Medicare.

The only potential opposition at this time could come from the Congressional Budget Office, which has in the past reported that expansion of Medicare reimbursement for telehealth and RPM services would add costs to Medicare spending overall.

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