119-hres686

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 686 Introduced in House

    (IH) ]

<DOC>

119th CONGRESS
 1st Session
H. RES. 686

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

_______________________________________________________________________

 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
 Resolved, 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.
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