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This section captures a floor statement or debate entry. It mentions legislation such as Supporting the designation of the week of September 20 through September 26, 2026, as "Telehealth Awareness Week"..
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September 24, 2026
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Download official Senate Record PDFReturn to issue contextSENATE RESOLUTION 902—SUPPORTING THE DESIGNATION OF THE WEEK OF
SEPTEMBER 20 THROUGH SEPTEMBER 26, 2026, AS “TELEHEALTH AWARENESS
WEEK”
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:
S. Res. 902
Whereas telehealth allows a health care practitioner to
furnish healthcare services to a patient or a practitioner at
a different physical location than the healthcare
practitioner;
Whereas telehealth plays a significant role in supporting
access to quality healthcare services for millions of
patients;
Whereas healthcare workforce shortages are a significant
problem in many areas and for many types of healthcare
clinicians;
Whereas telehealth increases access to healthcare in areas
with workforce shortages and for individuals who live far
away from healthcare 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 healthcare services under Medicare part
B in 2019;
Whereas 23 percent of Medicare beneficiaries received at
least 1 telehealth service in 2025;
Whereas, in its 2025 survey of Medicare beneficiaries ages
65 and over, the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission found
that more than 90 percent of Medicare beneficiaries who
received a telehealth service were satisfied with their
experience;
Whereas, in 2025, telehealth was a routine healthcare
modality with nearly 11 percent of all Medicare beneficiaries
and more than 20 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 as
of June 2024, 1 study finding that 44 percent of behavioral
health visits among traditional Medicare beneficiaries are
delivered by telehealth;
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
healthcare 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, healthcare providers, policymakers, and
other stakeholders to advance the role of telehealth in
healthcare: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the Senate—
(1) designates the week of September 20 through September
26, 2026, as “Telehealth Awareness Week”;
(2) recognizes the impact of telehealth in delivering
healthcare 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 healthcare 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.