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Panel hears bill to raise Medicaid rates for long-term ECG monitors; sponsor seeks committee review
Summary
House File 19 35 would raise Medical Assistance reimbursement for certain long-term ECG monitors used to detect infrequent arrhythmias; vendors and members discussed clinical and fiscal trade-offs.
Representative Backer introduced House File 19 35 to increase MA reimbursement for a type of long-term ambulatory electrocardiogram (ECG) that allows monitoring longer than a 48-hour Holter and may be more patient-friendly.
Elizabeth Stoll of Baxter Healthcare described the device and said the company is not the only vendor in the market. Stoll said long-term ECG patches can be worn for two to 15 days, permit bathing, reduce repeat tests caused by missed arrhythmias and reduce nonemergency transport needs for Medicaid patients. She told the committee that raising the rate would increase market entry, could reduce missed diagnoses and would likely be cost neutral or savings over time; she cited a two‑year gross cost estimate of about $300,000 if the change were enacted without dynamic savings factored in.
Representative Liebling questioned the committee chair about the committee’s budget target and whether the committee planned to find offsets; Chair Backer said leadership would take the bill and fiscal priorities back to the committee of four for prioritization. The bill was laid over for possible inclusion in the omnibus bill.
Action taken: bill laid over for possible inclusion; no fiscal note or funding decision made at the hearing.
