Fostering Independence Through Technology (FITT) Act (S. 501) seeks to expand the use of telehealth and remote monitoring in Medicare by creating a pilot program that would provide incentives for home health agencies to use home monitoring and communications technologies. The bill has been reintroduced by Sens. John Thune (R-SD) and Amy Klobuchar (D-MN).
This bill would expand the use of telehealth under Medicare by offering incentives to home health agencies who demonstrate the use of remote monitoring and communication technologies that serve rural and underserved urban communities. In addition, the Obama administration has endorsed the legislation. President Barack Obama used the FITT Act as an example of legislation he would support to "invest in assistive technologies."
Telehealth and remote monitoring technologies can give seniors and other Medicare beneficiaries improved, more constant access to the care they need -- round the clock if necessary -- while allowing them to remain in their own homes and communities.
Expanding access to remote monitoring devices in rural and underserved urban communities in particular would allow health care providers to communicate better with patients and family caregivers using interactive audio/visual tools and collect, track, and report vital clinical information in real time.
The FITT Act is designed to be budget-neutral and realize cost-savings in Medicare. Specifically, the FITT Act would:
Create pilot programs to provide incentives for home health agencies to use home monitoring and communications technologies to enhance health outcomes for Medicare beneficiaries and reduce Medicare expenditures;
Establish project sites in both urban and rural areas;
Identify ways that home health agencies participating in the pilot programs can monitor and measure performance;
Provide incentive payments to participating home care agencies equal to a portion of Medicare savings relative to performance targets;
Seek to ensure that pilot project payments have no impact on other Medicare payments to participating agencies; and
Consider additional pilot projects if health outcomes are enhanced and Medicare savings are realized.
