Senate Passes Schatz-Wicker Resolution Designating Telehealth Awareness Week

WASHINGTON - Today, the U.S. Senate passed a bipartisan resolution authored by U.S. Senators Brian Schatz (D-Hawai'i) and Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) designating September 14-20 as "Telehealth Awareness Week." The resolution recognizes that telehealth has helped millions of Americans across the country access quality health care and has become a critical component of health care delivery. The resolution is cosponsored by members of the bipartisan Senate Telehealth Working Group, U.S. Senators Mark Warner (D-Va.), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.), Peter Welch (D-Vt.), and John Barrasso (R-Wyo.).

"Telehealth helps people access quality health care when and where they need it, and our resolution highlights the broad, bipartisan support for raising awareness of and expanding access to telehealth," said Senator Schatz, co-chair of the Senate Telehealth Working Group.

"Telehealth is a cost-effective way for people in rural and underserved areas to access quality health care. Increasing the services available to patients remains one of my top priorities in Congress," Senator Wicker said.

"For rural communities across Virginia, telehealth can make all the difference between getting adequate care in a matter of hours or having to wait weeks to see a specialist. Telehealth can also be a great resource for busy families, young adults, or literally anyone who stands to benefit from timely and hassle-free access to medical care and advice. I'm proud to introduce this legislation today to continue raising awareness about the benefits of 21st century health care," said Senator Warner.

"Telehealth has become a lifeline, especially in our rural communities where access to care is often limited. These services are vital for patients across America, which is why we're working to protect and promote access to telehealth. Losing coverage would disrupt care for those who need it most. Families deserve reliable, flexible telehealth access to get the care they need, when and where they need it," Senator Hyde-Smith said.

"Over the past few years, telehealth has proven to be an essential way for patients to get health care across the country. That's especially true in rural and underserved areas in Vermont," said Senator Welch. "Our resolution underscores our bipartisan commitment to supporting this lifeline to ensure everyone can get the care they need."

"In Wyoming, we understand the challenges families in remote areas face when trying to access health care," said Senator Barrasso. "Telehealth technology is an incredible resource for delivering high-quality care to our frontier communities. Our resolution celebrates telehealth and the vital role it plays in giving rural patients access to medical services as close to home as possible."

The resolution affirms the bipartisan support in Congress for telehealth and encourages expanded access to telehealth services for all people, including members of rural and underserved communities. It notes that 25 percent of Medicare beneficiaries used telehealth services at least once in 2024, and that nearly 90 percent were satisfied with their experience. It concludes that "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.

Schatz has led efforts to expand access to telehealth, including reintroducing the CONNECT for Health Act, the most comprehensive bipartisan telehealth legislation in Congress. Since its first iteration in 2016, several provisions from the bill have been signed into law.

The full text of the resolution is available here.

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