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[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 1428 Introduced in House (IH)]

<DOC>

118th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. RES. 1428

 Supporting the designation of the week of September 15, 2024, through 
         September 21, 2024, as ``Telehealth Awareness Week''.

_______________________________________________________________________

                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           September 9, 2024

Mr. Carter of Georgia (for himself, Ms. Matsui, Mr. Curtis, Ms. Sewell, 
  Mr. Thompson of California, and Ms. Blunt Rochester) submitted the 
following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and 
                                Commerce

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION

 
 Supporting the designation of the week of September 15, 2024, through 
         September 21, 2024, as ``Telehealth Awareness Week''.

Whereas telehealth allows health care practitioners to provide services to 
        patients or other practitioners in different physical locations;
Whereas telehealth significantly supported access to quality health care for 
        millions during the COVID-19 public health emergency and remains 
        essential postemergency;
Whereas, in 2023, nearly 7,000,000 unique Medicare fee-for-service (FFS) 
        beneficiaries received at least 1 telehealth service, with one-quarter 
        of Medicare FFS beneficiaries utilizing telehealth;
Whereas the number of Medicare FFS telehealth users in 2023 is 24 percent higher 
        than in 2019, prepandemic;
Whereas the percentage of Medicare FFS beneficiaries using telehealth has 
        remained relatively stable in 2023;
Whereas increased access to telehealth during the COVID-19 pandemic has 
        positively shifted patients' perceptions, with study findings indicating 
        greater openness to using telehealth services;
Whereas telehealth now represents a critical component of health care delivery, 
        balancing in-person and virtual care, following its unprecedented use 
        during the public health emergency;
Whereas legislative efforts to increase telehealth access have garnered broad 
        bicameral bipartisan support in both the Senate and the House of 
        Representatives;
Whereas data from the Medicare Current Beneficiary Survey and the Census 
        Bureau's Household Pulse Survey indicate that individuals with 
        disabilities are more likely to use audio-only services, with the 
        highest usage among Medicare beneficiaries with multiple disabilities 
        (41.8 percent);
Whereas the United States has the opportunity to improve broader access to 
        health services for all individuals, including members of rural and 
        underserved communities; and
Whereas ``Telehealth Awareness Week'', September 15, 2024, through September 21, 
        2024, unites the efforts of patients, caregivers, health care providers, 
        policymakers, and other stakeholders to advance the role of telehealth 
        in health care: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) supports the designation of ``Telehealth Awareness 
        Week'';
            (2) recognizes the impact of telehealth in delivering 
        health care services to patients across the United States; and
            (3) urges that steps be taken--
                    (A) to raise awareness about the benefits of 
                expanding telehealth;
                    (B) to highlight resources for health care 
                providers and patients regarding telehealth;
                    (C) to collect and analyze data on the impacts of 
                telehealth; and
                    (D) to promote continued access to telehealth for 
                all communities and across settings permanently.
                                 <all>
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