119-sres417

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 417 Agreed to Senate

    (ATS) ]

<DOC>

119th CONGRESS
 1st Session
S. RES. 417

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

_______________________________________________________________________

 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

 September 19 (legislative day, September 16), 2025

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

_______________________________________________________________________

 RESOLUTION

 Supporting the designation of the week of September 14 through 
 September 20, 2025, 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 plays a significant role in supporting access to quality 
 health care services for millions of patients;
Whereas health care workforce shortages are a significant problem in many areas 
 and for many types of health care clinicians;
Whereas telehealth increases access to health care in areas with workforce 
 shortages and for individuals who live far away from health care 
 facilities, have limited mobility or access to transportation, or have 
 other barriers to accessing care;
Whereas, prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, the utilization of telehealth services 
 in the Medicare program under title XVIII of the Social Security Act (42 
 U.S.C. 1395 et seq.) was low, accounting for approximately 0.1 percent 
 of visits of patients receiving health care services under Medicare part 
 B in 2019;
Whereas 25 percent of Medicare beneficiaries received at least 1 telehealth 
 service in 2024;
Whereas, in 2023, approximately 90 percent of Medicare beneficiaries who 
 received a telehealth service were satisfied with their experience;
Whereas, in 2024, telehealth was a routine health care modality with 13 percent 
 of all Medicare beneficiaries and 23 percent of dually eligible Medicare 
 and Medicaid beneficiaries using telehealth in the last quarter of the 
 calendar year;
Whereas telehealth is a common care modality for Medicare beneficiaries to 
 receive behavioral health services, with half of common psychotherapy 
 services furnished under the original Medicare fee-for-service program 
 delivered by telehealth in 2022;
Whereas federally qualified health centers and rural health clinics use 
 telehealth to deliver services to rural and underserved populations;
Whereas telehealth now represents a critical component of health care delivery;
Whereas any lapse in Medicare coverage for telehealth services could adversely 
 impact patient access to care;
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 
 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) designates the week of September 14 through September 
 20, 2025, 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 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 continuous access to telehealth for all 
 communities and across settings.
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