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

119 HRES 686 IH: Supporting the designation of the week of September 14, 2025, through September 20, 2025, as “Telehealth Awareness Week”. U.S. House of Representatives 2025-09-09 text/xml EN Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain. IV 119th CONGRESS 1st Session H. RES. 686 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 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.