SENIOR ASSEMBLY PROPOSAL NO. 30

INTRODUCED BY SENIOR ASSEMBLY MEMBER LOH

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST

AP 30: REMOTE PATIENT MONITORING PILOT PROGRAM.

UNDER EXISTING LAW, THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH CARE SERVICES AND VARIOUS OTHER STATE GOVERNMENT ENTITIES ARE CHARGED WITH ADMINISTRATING VARIOUS PILOT PROGRAMS RELATING TO PUBLIC HEALTH.

THIS MEASURE WOULD MEMORIALIZE THE LEGISLATURE AND THE GOVERNOR TO ENACT LEGISLATION THAT WOULD CALL FOR PROPOSALS FROM THE HEALTH CARE AND HEALTH INSURANCE INDUSTRIES FOR A PILOT PROGRAM USING REMOTE PATIENT MONITORING (RPM) TECHNOLOGIES TO MONITOR THE HEALTH OF SENIORS.

VOTE: MAJORITY.

AP 30: RELATING TO REMOTE PATIENT MONITORING PILOT PROGRAM

WHEREAS, IN ORDER TO BRING HEALTH CARE COSTS DOWN WHILE INCREASING HEALTH CARE QUALITY, IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT THE STATE EXPLOIT EVERY OPPORTUNITY TO IMPLEMENT TECHNOLOGY TO ACHIEVE HEALTH CARE EFFICIENCY GAINS; AND

WHEREAS, REMOTE PATIENT MONITORING (RPM) REFERS TO A WIDE VARIETY OF TECHNOLOGICAL DEVICES DESIGNED TO MANAGE AND MONITOR A RANGE OF HEALTH CONDITIONS, AND INCLUDES FEATURES THAT CAN BE USED BY PATIENTS, PROVIDERS, AND CAREGIVERS; AND

WHEREAS, RPM TECHNOLOGIES MAY STAND ALONE AND REPORT HEALTH DATA, OR BE FULLY INTEGRATED INTO A DATA COLLECTION, ANALYSIS, AND REPORTING SYSTEM THAT COMMUNICATES TO MULTIPLE NODES WITHIN THE HEALTH CARE SYSTEM; AND

WHEREAS, RPM TECHNOLOGIES HAVE BEEN SHOWN TO BE EFFECTIVE IN HELPING TO MANAGE CHRONIC DISEASES, POST-ACUTE CARE, AND MONITORING THE SAFETY OF THE OLDER ADULT POPULATION; AND

WHEREAS, THE UNITED STATES HEALTH CARE SYSTEM COULD REDUCE ITS COSTS BY NEARLY $200 BILLION DURING THE NEXT 25 YEARS IF RPM TECHNOLOGIES WERE USED ROUTINELY IN CASES OF CONGESTIVE HEART FAILURE, DIABETES, CHRONIC OBSTRUCTIVE PULMONARY DISEASE, AND CHRONIC WOUNDS OR SKIN ULCERS; AND

WHEREAS, A MAJORITY OF SENIORS ARE CHALLENGED BY CHRONIC AND ACUTE ILLNESSES OR INJURIES, EIGHT OUT OF 10 SENIORS ARE LIVING WITH THE HEALTH CHALLENGES OF ONE OR MORE CHRONIC DISEASES, AND FALLS ARE THE MOST COMMON CAUSE OF NONFATAL INJURIES AND HOSPITAL ADMISSIONS FOR TRAUMA AMONG SENIORS; AND

WHEREAS, RPM TECHNOLOGIES HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO SIGNIFICANTLY IMPROVE SENIORS’ LIVES BY IMPROVING CHRONIC DISEASE MANAGEMENT, ENSURING CONTINUED RECOVERY AFTER DISCHARGE FROM AN ACUTE CARE SETTING, FACILITATING PROMPT INTERVENTION WHEN A SENIOR’S HEALTH CONDITIONS DECLINE DUE TO EITHER ILLNESS OR INJURY, AND ALLOWING SENIORS FOR WHOM TRAVEL IS CHALLENGING TO AVOID THE INCONVENIENCE RELATED TO IN-PERSON PATIENT MONITORING; AND

WHEREAS, BECAUSE RPM TECHNOLOGIES ARE NEW TECHNOLOGIES AND UNFORSEEN ISSUES CAN ARISE FROM THEIR USE, THE STATE SHOULD IMPLEMENT A PILOT PROGRAM FOR MONITORING SENIORS PRIOR TO REQUIRING THE USE OF RPM TECHNOLOGIES STATEWIDE, AND, IN ORDER TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE EXPERTISE OF THE HEALTH CARE AND HEALTH INSURANCE INDUSTRIES, THE STATE SHOULD CALL ON THOSE INDUSTRIES FOR PROPOSALS FOR THE DESIGN OF THIS PILOT PROGRAM; NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT

RESOLVED, BY THE SENIOR ASSEMBLY AND THE SENIOR SENATE, JOINTLY, THAT THE SENIOR LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA AT ITS 2010 REGULAR SESSION, A MAJORITY OF THE MEMBERS VOTING THEREFOR, HEREBY PROPOSES THAT THE STATE CALL FOR PROPOSALS FROM THE HEALTH CARE AND HEALTH INSURANCE INDUSTRIES FOR A PILOT PROGRAM USING RPM TECHNOLOGIES TO MONITOR THE HEALTH OF SENIORS; AND BE IT FURTHER

RESOLVED, THAT THE SENIOR LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA RESPECTFULLY MEMORIALIZES THE LEGISLATURE AND THE GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA TO ENACT APPROPRIATE LEGISLATION THAT WOULD ADDRESS THE CONCERNS SET FORTH IN THIS MEASURE; AND BE IT FURTHER

RESOLVED, THAT A COPY OF THIS MEASURE BE TRANSMITTED TO THE SPEAKER OF THE ASSEMBLY, THE PRESIDENT PRO TEMPORE OF THE SENATE, AND THE GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA.

RN 10 13546

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