Title: A resolution supporting the designation of the week of September 18 through September 24, 2022, as "Telehealth Awareness Week".
Policy area: Health

Summary:
This resolution supports designating the week beginning September 18, 2022, as Telehealth Awareness Week.

[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 805 Agreed to Senate (ATS)]

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117th CONGRESS
  2d Session
S. RES. 805

    Supporting the designation of the week of September 18 through 
         September 24, 2022, as ``Telehealth Awareness Week''.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                           September 28, 2022

Mr. Schatz (for himself, Mr. Wicker, Mr. Cardin, Mr. Thune, Mr. Warner, 
  and Mrs. Hyde-Smith) submitted the following resolution; which was 
                        considered and agreed to

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
    Supporting the designation of the week of September 18 through 
         September 24, 2022, 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 will continue to be essential beyond the end of the 
        public health emergency;
Whereas more than 28,000,000 Medicare beneficiaries used telehealth during the 
        first year of the COVID-19 pandemic;
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
    Resolved, That the Senate--
            (1) supports the designation of the week of September 18 
        through September 24, 2022, as ``Telehealth Awareness Week'';
            (2) recognizes the impact of telehealth in delivering 
        health care services for patients across the United States; and
            (3) urges that steps should 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 beyond the COVID-19 
                pandemic.
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