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1998 SESSION


HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 210
Directing the Joint Commission on Health Care, in cooperation with the Departments of Health and Medical Assistance Services, to conduct a study of quality of care and reimbursement issues related to telemedicine.

Agreed to by the House of Delegates, February 17, 1998
Agreed to by the Senate, March 10, 1998

WHEREAS, telemedicine is an emerging technology for the delivery of certain health care services; and

WHEREAS, the Department of Corrections is currently using telemedicine to deliver certain specialty services to inmates; and

WHEREAS, the Joint Commission on Health Care examined telemedicine issues in a 1995 study, published in 1996 as House Document 6; and

WHEREAS, a 1997 executive branch study was unable to reach consensus regarding telemedicine reimbursement for state programs; and

WHEREAS, health care payors have expressed concern that telemedicine has not yet been proven to deliver quality care and that routine reimbursement for telemedicine services may increase health care costs; and

WHEREAS, telemedicine potentially could improve access to health care in rural areas; and

WHEREAS, Virginia's academic medical centers have been active in investigating applications for telemedicine; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, the Senate concurring, That the Joint Commission on Health Care, in cooperation with the Departments of Health and Medical Assistance Services, be directed to conduct a study of quality of care and reimbursement issues related to telemedicine. The study shall include, but not be limited to, an examination of (i) the experience of other states with regard to reimbursement for telemedicine services and options for the Commonwealth in developing such reimbursement policy; (ii) what services can be cost-effectively and efficiently provided through telemedicine for which Medicaid reimbursement is appropriate; and (iii) the appropriate role for the Department of Health in identifying medically underserved areas of the Commonwealth in which telemedicine services could expand access to health care.

All agencies of the Commonwealth shall provide assistance to the Joint Commission and its staff for this study, upon request.

The Joint Commission shall complete its work in time to submit its findings and recommendations to the Governor and the 1999 Session of the General Assembly as provided in the procedures of the Division of Legislative Automated Systems for the processing of legislative documents.