Congressman Scott Peters (CA-52) has introduced a bill that would boost and promote the use of wireless health technologies to improve care and lower costs. The bill was referred to a committee, which will consider it before possibly passing it on to the House or Senate for a vote.
The bill, called ‘Health Savings Through Technology Act,’ would recognize the potential of wireless devices to monitor patient health and guide self-care. It would create a commission to strategize the integration of wireless health technologies into federal healthcare programs, such as Medicare and Medicaid, as well as inventory existing data. Peters says the federal government doesn’t take into account the cost-effectiveness of technological innovation over the long term when making budget projections.
“The vast majority of Americans now use some sort of mobile device today; people can now monitor glucose levels, track calories, or be alerted to harmful drug interactions over their phone or tablet,” Congressman Peters said in a statement, while promoting the area in which he serves. “San Diego is ahead of the curve in wireless health care discovery so providing incentives for it supports economic growth in my district, and helps bend the cost curve across the country.”
Peters is an avid support of healthcare information technology. He and fellow California Democratic Congressman, U.S. Rep. Mike Thompson (CA-5), recently introduced legislation that would expand telehealth services to active-duty service members, their dependents, retirees, and veterans
