Photo by Colorado Rural Health Center
Colorado Gov. Jared Polis signed legislation on May 29, 2024 to increase access to telehealth services in rural and underserved areas, and to better combat cardiac disease.
The law expands access to Remote Patient Monitoring (RPM) services for Medicaid members across Colorado and provides resources for healthcare practices serving rural underserved populations to obtain RPM equipment. The law also expands access to Continuous Glucose Monitoring (CGM) devices.
“Coloradans in my district know firsthand how challenging and expensive it can be to access critical health care services,” said Senator Dylan Roberts, D-Frisco, in a press release. “During my time in the legislature, I’ve worked hard to deliver high-quality, affordable health care services to underserved and rural areas and this law expands access to remote health services and continuous glucose monitors, which have proven to be successful at ensuring patients receive the right care, at the right place, at the right time and save so much money in the long-run.”
Remote patient monitoring (RPM) is a type of telehealth that enables healthcare providers to monitor patients outside the traditional care setting using digital medical devices. Examples of devices include weight scales, blood pressure monitors, pulse oximeters, and blood glucose meters. RPM connects patients to their local provider via telehealth, leveraging technology while maintaining continuity of care.
Here is a fact sheet from the Colorado Rural Health Center on the new bill.