Michigan seniors count on home health monitoring. It must be protected | Opinion
Michigan’s population is aging, with more than one-third of residents over age 55. That makes it more important than ever to find practical ways to keep older Michiganians healthy, independent and connected to their doctors, particularly in the state's underserved communities where access to care is already limited. Unfortunately, a new federal proposal could make that harder. Millions of Medicare patients living with high blood pressure, diabetes, heart failure or COPD now rely on blood pressure cuffs, glucose monitors and connected scales at home. The readings go straight to their doctor, so problems get caught before they turn into hospital trips. This new technology protects seniors’ health and also saves the Medicare program money, as fewer sick patients means fewer dollars spent treating them. However, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services have proposed a rule that would stop doctors from working with outside companies that manage this so-called Remote Physiologic Monitoring (RPM) technology. Under its proposal, only staff employed directly by a doctor’s own practice could do that work. For a lot of practices in Michigan — including those in Detroit, which has just one doctor for every 6,000 residents , and those based in rural parts of the
