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non-invasive sensors that are installed in a consenting patient's home where they detect movement, monitor sleep quality, and collect other information about day-to-day activities. The information is transmitted to a registered nurse, who compares the data with a client's usual patterns of daily living to detect changes that point to the need for medical attention.
• Under the FITT Act, home health agencies participating in the pilot program would receive annual incentive payments based on a percentage of the Medicare savings achieved as a result of telehealth services. The incentive payments in the aggregate, however, may not exceed the amount that Medicare would have spent if the pilot projects had not been implemented. This would ensure that my legislation would not add to our nation's ever-increasing national debt.
• Telehealth technology, including RPM, has the potential to reduce the number of hospital visits, number of visits from home health aides, and allow individuals to stay in their homes longer while still receiving quality care. As we continue exploring various ways to save and protect Medicare from bankruptcy, reducing hospital readmissions is an important component of that debate, and I believe that innovative technologies such as telehealth represent untapped potential in our search to find creative ways to lower Medicare costs.
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