Authentidate Announces Its Support For Proposed Telehealth Legislation Extending Benefits To Nearly 75 Million Americans

Authentidate Holding Corp., a provider of secure web-based software applications and telehealth products and services for healthcare organizations, recently announced its support for a proposed bill, recently introduced in Congress that provides for the use of telehealth solutions as an alternative to in-person healthcare services, including the delivery of patient care by physicians using telehealth solutions across state borders.

Recently, Rep. Mike Thompson (D-Calif.) introduced a comprehensive bill to improve Medicare and Medicaid coverage for telehealth products and services. Thompson’s proposed bill, H.R. 6719, called The Telehealth Promotion Act, would establish a federal reimbursement policy to ensure that no medical benefits are excluded as a result of being furnished over a telecommunications system. This bill removes prior restrictions on the use of telehealth solutions in place of in-person care and provides for reimbursement from Medicare and Medicaid for such solutions. This bill is currently pending in the relevant committees of the U.S. House of Representatives. If passed, the bill is expected to increase access to telemedicine for patients covered by Federal health care programs like Medicare and Medicaid, which represents nearly 75 million Americans.

Included in the proposed bill are several new provisions that encourage the use of telehealth solutions due to their expected benefits, including improved patient outcomes and reduced patient care costs. One of the new provisions allows physicians to practice medicine using telehealth products and services across state lines without having to be licensed in both states, which is estimated as costing physicians approximately $300M per year, according to the American Telemedicine Association (ATA). The bill also includes a provision that calls for positive incentives for hospitals that reduce readmissions. Authentidate’s telehealth products and services have been designed to enable clinicians to manage patients regardless of their location, to help clinicians reduce emergency readmissions by keeping patients compliant with their clinician-managed care plans and to help improve patient outcomes.

Ben Benjamin, Chief Executive Officer of Authentidate, stated, “This is an important piece of proposed legislation that promotes the use of innovative, cost-effective technologies in the provision of quality healthcare. It represents a real opportunity to help contain healthcare costs without sacrificing the quality healthcare services that Americans have come to expect from their healthcare providers. We appreciate that Congressman Mike Thompson has introduced this new legislation and for his persistent efforts with regard to the practical expansion of the use of telehealth solutions to a much broader patient population. As a leading telehealth solutions provider, we are pleased to express our full support for this legislation and we see it as a reasonable and cost-effective path toward improving our healthcare system.”

About Authentidate Holding Corp.
Authentidate Holding Corp. is a provider of secure web-based software applications and telehealth products and services that enable healthcare organizations to coordinate care for patients and enhance related administrative and clinical workflows. Authentidate’s products and services enable healthcare organizations to increase revenues, reduce costs and enhance patient care by eliminating paper and manual work steps from clinical and administrative processes. Authentidate’s telehealth solutions combine patient vital signs monitoring with a web application that streamlines patient care management. Delivered as Software as a Service (SaaS), customers only require an Internet connection and web browser to access our web-based applications thereby utilizing previous investments in systems and technology. The company’s healthcare customers and users include leading homecare companies, health systems, physician groups and governmental entities. These organizations utilize the company’s products and services to coordinate care for patients outside of acute-care. For more information, visit www.authentidate.com.