Political Quotes

“Madam, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I rise in support of H.R. 4040, the Advancing Telehealth Beyond COVID-19 Act, bipartisan legislation, introduced by Representatives Cheney and Dingell. Over the course of this pandemic, telehealth has served as an important tool for staying connected to care without increasing the risk of exposure to COVID-19. And in the Medicare program, millions have utilized telehealth for the first time during the pandemic, thanks to actions taken early on by Congress and the administration. When the pandemic was beginning to take hold in America, Congress moved quickly to significantly expand access to telehealth for Medicaid beneficiaries. And this was critically important because Medicare beneficiaries are some of the most vulnerable to COVID-19. The waiver of Medicare's originating site and geographic restrictions during the public health emergency has allowed millions of Medicare beneficiaries nationwide to receive telehealth services, including audio-only services, without ever having to leave their homes. Now, the Energy and Commerce Committee has a long history of working to expand access to telehealth services in the Medicare program. For example, the SUPPORT Act expanded access to substance use disorder services delivered via telehealth. The Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021 permanently expanded access to telemental health services and Medicare.…”