Glenn W. Thompson
09/18/2025 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 09/18/2025 12:51
Thompson, Tokuda Introduce Legislation Promoting Telehealth Services
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, Representatives Glenn "GT" Thompson (PA-15) and Jill Tokuda (HI-02), introduced the bipartisan Helping Ensure Access to Local TeleHealth (HEALTH) Act, as part of National Telehealth Awareness Week. This legislation secures Medicare reimbursement for telehealth services provided by community health centers and rural health clinics. It will continue to allow providers to utilize audio-only telehealth visits for patients who do not have access to broadband services.
Telehealth services have added tremendous reach and value to communities across the country, especially in rural America and during the COVID-19 pandemic. The HEALTH Actprovides access to vital health care services for more seniors, regardless of their geographic location.
"As a former health care professional, spending nearly 30 years serving rural populations, I am amazed at how telehealth makes life simpler for rural and underserved communities and older residents in particular," Rep. Thompson said. "Continued use and promotion of these services will improve health equity by increasing access to care for our most vulnerable, especially in rural communities. The HEALTH Act cuts red tape and permanently allows community health centers and rural health clinics to provide telehealth services to their patients."
"Telehealth is a vital lifeline connecting rural and remote communities to the trusted care they need," Rep. Tokuda said. "We know it works. It removes barriers, expands access, and saves lives. I'm proud to introduce the HEALTH Actwith Rep. Thompson to permanently secure Medicare reimbursements for community health centers and rural clinics providing care through both video and phone visits. Together, we're building a fairer, more responsive healthcare system for rural Americans."
"As the nation's largest network of primary care providers, Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHC) provide a wide array of services in underserved areas of the country, both rural and urban," said Shelley Riser, President and CEO of Pennsylvania Association of Community Health Centers (PACHC). "Telehealth has become an essential tool for patient care allowing providers to deliver timely and effective treatment and is a reliable, accessible option in improving health outcomes. Telehealth must remain an available service to ensure continued access to critically needed primary care and behavioral health care services."
"Bi-State Primary Care Association is very grateful to Representatives Thompson and Tokuda for their leadership in reintroducing the Helping Ensure Access to Local TeleHealth (HEALTH) Act," said Tess Kuenning, President and CEO of Bi-State Primary Care Association. "This bill would authorize Medicare coverage for telehealth thereby removing burdensome restrictions and permanently allowing Community Health Centers to provide telehealth services to their patients, which is of great benefit to our rural communities. Telehealth is an essential mode of communication with primary care providers that are critical when rural barriers are present."
"We appreciate Representatives Thompson and Tokuda's leadership in helping America's Community Health Centers (CHCs) maintain the incredible increase in access to care via telehealth that was jumpstarted during the pandemic," said Kyu Rhee, MD, MPP, President and CEO of the National Association of Community Health Centers (NACHC). "CHCs need long-term stability and payment parity in reimbursement for telehealth services to continue providing high-quality care to their patients, especially those who have limited transportation options."
"Telehealth has become an essential aspect of access to health care, especially for many of our rural populations," said Sarah Hohman, Director of Government Affairs for the National Association of Rural Health Clinics. "Unfortunately, our nation's safety-net providers are currently disincentivized by Medicare policy from investing in their telehealth offerings. While our peers in the traditional office setting receive payment parity between in-person and telehealth services, RHCs and FQHCs lose money every time they provide telehealth services. The HEALTH Act ensures that safety-net providers and the communities they serve will be able to participate fairly and fully in the growing telehealth market."
Read the bill here.
Telehealth services have added tremendous reach and value to communities across the country, especially in rural America and during the COVID-19 pandemic. The HEALTH Actprovides access to vital health care services for more seniors, regardless of their geographic location.
"As a former health care professional, spending nearly 30 years serving rural populations, I am amazed at how telehealth makes life simpler for rural and underserved communities and older residents in particular," Rep. Thompson said. "Continued use and promotion of these services will improve health equity by increasing access to care for our most vulnerable, especially in rural communities. The HEALTH Act cuts red tape and permanently allows community health centers and rural health clinics to provide telehealth services to their patients."
"Telehealth is a vital lifeline connecting rural and remote communities to the trusted care they need," Rep. Tokuda said. "We know it works. It removes barriers, expands access, and saves lives. I'm proud to introduce the HEALTH Actwith Rep. Thompson to permanently secure Medicare reimbursements for community health centers and rural clinics providing care through both video and phone visits. Together, we're building a fairer, more responsive healthcare system for rural Americans."
"As the nation's largest network of primary care providers, Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHC) provide a wide array of services in underserved areas of the country, both rural and urban," said Shelley Riser, President and CEO of Pennsylvania Association of Community Health Centers (PACHC). "Telehealth has become an essential tool for patient care allowing providers to deliver timely and effective treatment and is a reliable, accessible option in improving health outcomes. Telehealth must remain an available service to ensure continued access to critically needed primary care and behavioral health care services."
"Bi-State Primary Care Association is very grateful to Representatives Thompson and Tokuda for their leadership in reintroducing the Helping Ensure Access to Local TeleHealth (HEALTH) Act," said Tess Kuenning, President and CEO of Bi-State Primary Care Association. "This bill would authorize Medicare coverage for telehealth thereby removing burdensome restrictions and permanently allowing Community Health Centers to provide telehealth services to their patients, which is of great benefit to our rural communities. Telehealth is an essential mode of communication with primary care providers that are critical when rural barriers are present."
"We appreciate Representatives Thompson and Tokuda's leadership in helping America's Community Health Centers (CHCs) maintain the incredible increase in access to care via telehealth that was jumpstarted during the pandemic," said Kyu Rhee, MD, MPP, President and CEO of the National Association of Community Health Centers (NACHC). "CHCs need long-term stability and payment parity in reimbursement for telehealth services to continue providing high-quality care to their patients, especially those who have limited transportation options."
"Telehealth has become an essential aspect of access to health care, especially for many of our rural populations," said Sarah Hohman, Director of Government Affairs for the National Association of Rural Health Clinics. "Unfortunately, our nation's safety-net providers are currently disincentivized by Medicare policy from investing in their telehealth offerings. While our peers in the traditional office setting receive payment parity between in-person and telehealth services, RHCs and FQHCs lose money every time they provide telehealth services. The HEALTH Act ensures that safety-net providers and the communities they serve will be able to participate fairly and fully in the growing telehealth market."
Read the bill here.
Glenn W. Thompson published this content on September 18, 2025, and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed via Public Technologies (PUBT), unedited and unaltered, on September 18, 2025 at 18:51 UTC. If you believe the information included in the content is inaccurate or outdated and requires editing or removal, please contact us at [email protected]