For Immediate Release
Washington, DC – The ERISA Industry Committee (ERIC) is participating in Wisconsin’s telemedicine rulemaking. Today, ERIC submitted a letter to the Wisconsin Medical Examining Board regarding their proposed telemedicine regulations.
As the only national trade association advocating solely for the employee benefit and compensation interests of America’s largest employers, ERIC speaks for large employers on public policy issues relating to employee benefits. Our members have workers in every state across the country, including many in Wisconsin.
“ERIC thanks the Board for thoughtfully developing regulations to maximize the benefits of telemedicine, and respects its duty to protect the public and consider patient safety while developing telemedicine policies,” said Annette Guarisco Fildes, president and CEO, ERIC. “ERIC members need consistent telemedicine policies around the country so that their workers and their families can enjoy the same company benefits regardless of the state in which they live or work.”
ERIC agrees with the Board’s proposed regulations that the standard of care and professional ethics governing in-person visits should apply in the same manner to telemedicine visits and appreciates the Board’s position that telemedicine may be used to establish a physician-patient relationship when the standard of care does not require an in-person visit. To achieve a balanced regulatory environment for telemedicine, ERIC encourages the Board to:
- ADOPT technology-neutral requirements, permitting use of different types of technology platforms that are designed for telemedicine;
- ADOPT licensing policies that facilitate inter-state practice so providers, located in or out of the state, who deliver high-quality care, can serve patients located in Wisconsin;
- AVOID restrictions that require patients to visit specific locations (e.g., “originating sites”) in order to access telemedicine services;
- AVOID imposing additional requirements on providers that offer telemedicine services that are not imposed on in-person visits; and
- CONSIDER the needs of patients to have better access to care that can be provided via telemedicine, either through a telemedicine visit or remote monitoring of health conditions.
To read ERIC’s letter in its entirety, click here.
You can learn more about ERIC’s telemedicine initiative here.