IV 

118TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. RES. 676 

Supporting the designation of the week of September 17 through September 

23, 2023, as ‘‘Telehealth Awareness Week’’. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

SEPTEMBER 12, 2023 

Mr. JOHNSON of Ohio (for himself, Ms. MATSUI, Mr. CURTIS, and Mr. 

THOMPSON of California) submitted the following resolution; which was 

referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce 

RESOLUTION 

Supporting the designation of the week of September 17 

through September 23, 2023, as ‘‘Telehealth Awareness 

Week’’. 

Whereas telehealth allows a health care practitioner to furnish health care services to a patient or a practitioner at 

a different physical location than the health care practitioner; 

Whereas telehealth has played a significant role in supporting 

access to quality health care services for millions of patients during the COVID–19 public health emergency 

and has continued to be essential beyond the end of the 

public health emergency; 


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•HRES 676 IH 

Whereas more than 8,000,000 people were unique Medicare 

beneficiaries who received at least one telehealth service 

in 2022; 

Whereas the number of Medicare telehealth users has remained rather consistent in each quarter of 2022; 

Whereas Medicare beneficiaries used 88 times more telehealth 

services during the first year of the COVID–19 pandemic 

than they did in the prior year while the overall use of 

health care services among such beneficiaries remained 

relatively stable; 

Whereas following the unprecedented use of telehealth and 

virtual care services in response to the public health 

emergency, telehealth now represents a critical component of care delivery, demonstrating the need to balance 

in-person and virtual care in the health care system; 

Whereas, in 2021, 91 percent of Medicare beneficiaries were 

satisfied with their telehealth experiences; 

Whereas legislative efforts to increase telehealth access have 

received bipartisan support in the Senate and the House 

of Representatives; 

Whereas the United States has the opportunity to help improve broader access to health services for all individuals, 

including members of rural and underserved communities; and 

Whereas ‘‘Telehealth Awareness Week’’ 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 

1 Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 


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•HRES 676 IH 

1 (1) supports the designation of ‘‘Telehealth 

2 Awareness Week’’; 

3 (2) recognizes the impact of telehealth in deliv4 ering health care services for patients across the 

5 United States; and 

6 (3) urges that steps should be taken— 

7 (A) to raise awareness about the benefits 

8 of expanding telehealth; 

9 (B) to highlight resources for health care 

10 providers and patients regarding telehealth; 

11 (C) to collect and analyze data on the im12 pacts of telehealth; and 

13 (D) to promote continued access to tele14 health for all communities and across settings 

15 permanently. 

Æ 


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