Washington, DC – U.S. Representative Judy Biggert (R-IL-13th) today introduced bipartisan legislation designed to improve healthcare accessibility for seniors while reducing needless emergency room visits that account for long lines and steep bills at the hospital.  Joined by lead Democrat cosponsor Lois Capps (D-CA-23rd), Biggert touted the Tele-Care Act of 2009 as a commonsense reform to potentially save taxpayers billions in Medicare expenses while improving patient access to their physicians through non-emergency telephone consultations.
 
           “With so much attention and debate on far more costly and controversial proposals, we can’t lose sight of good, bipartisan reform ideas – of any size – that can start helping today to cut costs and make quality care more accessible for Americans,” said Biggert, a member of the GOP Healthcare Solutions Working Group.  “The Tele-Care Act is a simple way to help seniors talk directly to their doctor when they have a concern, sparing them a costly trip to the hospital or emergency room in non-emergency situations.  It saves time and expense for patients and providers alike.”
 
           The bill is an updated version of legislation Biggert introduced during a previous Congress with lead cosponsor and then-Rep. Rahm Emmanuel (D-IL-5th), who now serves as Chief of Staff to President Obama.  The bill allows a beneficiary’s primary care provider to be reimbursed under Medicare Part B for offering unscheduled telephone consultation services to seniors with immediate concerns.  Similar to nurse call-in services offered by some larger insurance carriers, the plan is aimed at reducing unnecessary emergency room visits that can cost approximately three times more than a simple doctor’s appointment.  In some cases, the need for an office visit can be eliminated entirely.
 
           “I am proud to join my colleague, Judy Biggert, in introducing the Tele-Care Act because it nicely compliments our comprehensive health reform efforts underway in Congress that will achieve better efficiency in the system,” said Capps, a licensed nurse and Vice Chair of the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health.  “As a public health nurse, I can never overstate the importance of making primary and preventive care more easily accessible, and the Tele-Care Act helps accomplish this goal.”
 
           Approximately 1 in 5 Americans visit the emergency room annually, but only 53% of these visits require urgent treatment.  As a result, emergency room visits cost the Medicare system approximately $3 billion each year.   To guarantee savings without risking patient outcomes, the Tele-Care Act also requires a demonstration project to take place before the bill’s provisions are adapted across the full Medicare network.  The project would be required to show that the program reduces costs while maintaining or improving patient care.
 
           “This bill doesn’t gamble with patient care or with taxpayer dollars,” said Biggert.  “Instead, it strengthens the patient-doctor relationship and ensures that seniors who need it can access medical advice without expensive trips to already over-burdened emergency facilities.  I’m thankful to Lois Capps for working with me on this bipartisan proposal, and look forward to working with her to send more commonsense ideas like this to the President’s desk.”

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