Oct. 18, 2016
HARRISBURG – Rep. Jesse Topper (R- Bedford/Fulton/Franklin) announced that his legislation that will increase access to quality health care was approved by the Senate and is heading to the governor’s desk. This is Topper’s first bill to pass the House and Senate.
Topper’s measure,
House Bill 1619, will allow Pennsylvania to join the Interstate Medical Licensure Compact, which was created in 2013. The compact spearheaded by the Federation of State Medical Boards, is designed to permit eligible licensed physicians in one state to treat patients in other states via telemedicine, increasing health care access to patients in underserved areas.
“Telemedicine will be a benefit to many people living in underserved parts of our state, including rural and urban areas. Today’s technology allows a doctor in one state to provide consultation and treatment to a patient living in another state, possibly hundreds of miles away,” Topper said.
An estimated 80 percent of the physician population licensed in the United States could be eligible to practice telemedicine in states where they don’t reside.
Pennsylvania is now included in a growing list of states that have enacted legislation to join the Interstate Medical Licensure Compact. Currently, 17 states have already enacted similar legislation to join the compact, with legislation pending in one additional state, Michigan.
“I look forward to Pennsylvania joining the compact and I applaud the Senate for passing this commonsense legislation. I urge the governor to sign it at his earliest convenience,” Topper said.
Representative Jesse Topper
78th District
Pennsylvania House of Representatives
Media Contact: Greg Gross
717.260.6374
ggross@pahousegop.com
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