Supporting the designation of the week of September 14, 2025, through September 20, 2025, as "Telehealth Awareness Week".

Bill: 119-hres-686
Sponsor: full_name: Rep. Carter, Earl L. "Buddy" [R-GA-1]
Introduced: 2025-09-09
Policy area: Health
Latest action: action_date: 2025-09-09
text: Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.

Summaries:

tv_txt: IV 119th CONGRESS 1st Session H. RES. 686 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES September 9, 2025 Mr. Carter of Georgia (for himself, Ms. Matsui , Mr. Schweikert , 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 14, 2025, through September 20, 2025, 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 2024, about 6,700,000 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 2024 is 24 percent higher than in 2019, prepandemic; Whereas the percentage of Medicare FFS beneficiaries using telehealth has remained relatively stable in 2024; Whereas increased access to telehealth over the past 5 years has positively shifted patients’ and providers’ perceptions, with study findings indicating greater openness to using telehealth services; Whereas telehealth is now fully integrated into our health care system and patients’ care journeys, and it is essential that these flexibilities be preserved beyond September 30, 2025; 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 14, 2025, through September 20, 2025, 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— (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 to— (A) continue the telehealth flexibilities beyond September 30, 2025; (B) raise awareness about the benefits of expanding telehealth; (C) highlight resources for health care providers and patients regarding telehealth; (D) collect and analyze data on the impacts of telehealth; and (E) promote continued access to telehealth for all communities and across settings permanently.