Supporting the designation of "Telehealth Awareness Week".

Bill: 117-hres-1352
Sponsor: full_name: Rep. Welch, Peter [D-VT-At Large]
Introduced: 2022-09-14
Policy area: Health
Latest action: action_date: 2022-09-14
text: Referred to the House Committee on Oversight and Reform.

Summaries:
action_date: 2022-09-14
action_desc: Introduced in House
text: <p>This resolution supports the designation of Telehealth Awareness Week.</p>

tv_txt: IV 117th CONGRESS 2d Session H. RES. 1352 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES September 14, 2022 Mr. Welch (for himself, Mr. Curtis , Ms. Matsui , and Mr. Johnson of Ohio ) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Oversight and Reform RESOLUTION Supporting the designation of 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 2 in 5 Medicare beneficiaries used telehealth during the first year of the COVID–19 pandemic; Whereas following the unprecedented use of telehealth and virtual care services in response to the public health emergency, telehealth now represents a significant percent of care delivery, confirming the need to balance in-person and virtual care in the health care system; Whereas while Medicare beneficiaries have doubled their use of telehealth compared to prepandemic levels, overall utilization of health care services remains relatively stable; Whereas telehealth and virtual care services continue to provide patients and families with safe, appropriate, and high-quality care where and when they need it, and 91 percent of Medicare beneficiaries are satisfied with their telehealth experiences; Whereas telehealth allows health care providers to securely connect with patients wherever they are when an in-person interaction is not clinically necessary or available and expands access to health care services for patients in need of primary and specialty care, enabling the health care system to do more good for more people; Whereas telehealth is a bipartisan issue and Members of Congress from both sides of the political aisle and both sides of Capitol Hill are dedicated to ensuring patients continue to have the choice to access telehealth once the COVID–19 public health emergency ends; Whereas the United States must help improve broader access to telehealth 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

That the House of Representatives supports the designation of Telehealth Awareness Week .