A resolution supporting the designation of the week of September 17 through September 23, 2023, as "Telehealth Awareness Week".

Bill: 118-sres-368
Sponsor: full_name: Sen. Schatz, Brian [D-HI]
Introduced: 2023-09-26
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Commemorative events and holidays

Health care coverage and access

Health technology, devices, supplies
Latest action: action_date: 2023-09-26
text: Submitted in the Senate, considered, and agreed to without amendment and with a preamble by Unanimous Consent. (consideration: CR S4676; text: CR S4686)

Summaries:
action_date: 2023-09-26
action_desc: Introduced in Senate
text: <p>This resolution designates the week beginning September 17, 2023, as Telehealth Awareness Week.</p>

action_date: 2023-09-26
action_desc: Passed Senate
text: <p>This resolution designates the week beginning September 17, 2023, as Telehealth Awareness Week.</p>

tv_txt: III 118th CONGRESS 1st Session S. RES. 368 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES September 26 (legislative day, September 22), 2023 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 17 through September 23, 2023, as Telehealth Awareness Week .

Whereas telehealth allows a health care practitioner to furnish health care to a patient or a practitioner at a different physical location than the health care practitioner; Whereas telehealth played a significant role in supporting access to quality health care for millions of patients during the COVID–19 public health emergency and continues to be important beyond the end of the public health emergency; 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; Whereas more than 8,000,000 unique Medicare beneficiaries received at least 1 telehealth service in 2022; Whereas, in 2022, over 90 percent of Medicare beneficiaries who received a telehealth service were satisfied with their experience; Whereas, in 2022, telehealth was a routine health care modality with 15 percent of Medicare beneficiaries using telehealth in the last quarter of the calendar year; Whereas, following the unprecedented use of telehealth services in response to the public health emergency, telehealth now represents a critical component of health care delivery; Whereas legislative efforts to increase telehealth access have received bipartisan support in the Senate and the House of Representatives; Whereas the United States has an opportunity to help improve access to health care 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 Senate— (1) designates the week of September 17 through September 23, 2023, as Telehealth Awareness Week ; (2) recognizes the impact of telehealth in delivering health care for patients across the United States; and (3) urges that steps should be taken to— (A) raise awareness about the benefits of telehealth; (B) highlight resources for health care providers and patients regarding telehealth; (C) collect and analyze data on the impacts of telehealth; and (D) promote continued access to telehealth for all communities and across settings.