ST. PAUL, MN—Representative Peggy Bennett, R-Albert Lea, is among more than twenty Greater Minnesota legislators calling for federal legislation to expand telemedicine coverage for Minnesotans on Medicare. A letter sent last Friday to all ten members of Minnesota's congressional delegation urged support for Medicare reimbursement to be extended to cover telemedicine services.
The letter comes in light of legislation passed during the 2015 session that requires private insurance companies to reimburse providers for telemedicine services. The new law also expands telemedicine opportunities for Medical Assistance (MA) recipients to include coverage for consultations and medically necessary services at the full allowable rate.
Expanding Medicare coverage to include new technology like telemedicine would bring more medical choices to aging Minnesotans on Medicare in Greater Minnesota who may find it logistically or financially difficult to come to the Twin Cities or to Rochester by increasing their access to top specialists and providers.
Representative Bennett issued the following statement regarding the letter and the urgent need to expand telemedicine access:
"It's important that we don't leave our aging loved ones who are on Medicare behind when it comes to having access to telemedicine," Bennett said. "The bipartisan legislation we passed last session will bring telemedicine options to those on private plans and Medical Assistance, and I hope Congress will take action to make sure Medicare patients have those same options and opportunities."
Last week Bennett toured a Mayo Clinic telemedicine facility in Austin, Minnesota to learn more about telemedicine technology and Mayo's pilot program that will soon be expanding to Albert Lea.
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