Remote Monitoring Can Transform Chronic Disease Care for Rural Americans: A Call to Action for Medicare
A new paper released in the American Journal of Medicine makes the case for leveraging high-quality Remote Patient Monitoring – what we refer to as Remote Patient Care – as a cost-effective, high-impact solution to address chronic disease care disparities in rural America. It calls on policymakers to reform Medicare reimbursement models to ensure equitable access for all patients.
The authors, Dr. David Feldman of Massachusetts General Hospital and Dr. Marat Fudim of Duke University, discuss how the United States faces a critical shortage of primary care physicians, with a projected deficit of up to 40,000 by 2036, disproportionately impacting rural areas. This shortage exacerbates health disparities and the growing burden of chronic diseases as over 50 million Medicare beneficiaries manage conditions like hypertension, diabetes, and heart failure, driving significant healthcare costs.
At Cadence, we know that Remote Patient Care offers a cost-effective solution for managing chronic conditions and supporting overburdened clinicians. At an average annual cost of ~$600 per patient, RPC is a fraction of the expense of unmanaged chronic diseases, accounting for just 0.001% of total Medicare spending in 2021. Despite this, current reimbursement policies disincentivize its adoption in rural communities, where it is needed most.
To fully realize Remote Patient Care's potential and ensure equitable care, policymakers must reform reimbursement models to reflect the value of care provided, not location-based payment differences that are irrelevant for technology-enabled care delivered remotely. Currently, Medicare reimburses as much as 20% less for rural patients, disincentivizing adoption in underserved areas.
At the same time, we must uphold high-quality standards for these services, maintaining requirements for patient-provider relationships, electronic health record integration, 24/7 support, and measurable clinical outcomes. And lastly, we must address health disparities by ensuring Remote Patient Care reaches rural and underserved communities.
“It is time to level the playing field for patients in rural areas. To deliver the same high-quality, virtual care for all patients, reimbursement should reflect the level of care being provided and not the geographic area where the patient lives. In its current state, reimbursement for RPM does not support widespread roll-out of RPM services or participation by all patients, including those from rural areas, which will inevitably worsen health disparities and outcomes among this population,” the paper’s authors shared.
With 10,000 Americans aging into Medicare daily and millions managing chronic conditions, the need for Remote Patient Care is urgent. By reforming outdated reimbursement policies and ensuring equitable access to high-quality RPC services, we can empower clinicians, reduce costs, and improve health outcomes for rural and underserved communities.
Read the full paper in the American Journal of Medicine here: https://www.amjmed.com/article/S0002-9343(24)00814-3/abstract
