Watch Senator Rosen’s full remarks here.
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, during a hearing of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) focused on exploring the role of telehealth in providing care during the COVID-19 pandemic, Senator Rosen asked medical experts what steps Congress can take to provide assistance and support for innovative telehealth programs, including those that go beyond doctor’s visits.
“As a former computer programmer and systems analyst, I have long been a strong advocate for telehealth and leveraging technology to improve access to care. There are some incredible ways that telehealth is serving patients in Nevada, even beyond the usual visits to the doctor’s office. Cleveland Clinic’s Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health in Las Vegas serves patients with neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. During the pandemic they have been able to move over 90 percent of their clinical care to virtual or telephone visits,” said Senator Rosen. “In the cancer space, we’ve heard that doctors in Nevada are able to do care planning sessions virtually—not only with the patient but with the whole family so you can have everyone on this video call participating in the patient’s care as their support team. No patient has to push back critical treatment because of their inability to go to a physician.”
“How do we maximize the full potential of telehealth and what barriers do you need Congress to still address, both during the pandemic and beyond?” Senator Rosen asked.
BACKGROUND: Senator Rosen is a co-sponsor of the CONNECT for Health Act, bipartisan legislation that would expand the use of telehealth and remote patient monitoring services in order to provide cost savings and quality care.
Earlier this week, Rosen joined a bipartisan letter to Senate Leadership urging them to make permanent the provisions from the CONNECT for Health Act that were included in the CARES Act to expand access to telehealth services for Medicare beneficiaries during the pandemic.
In March, Rosen joined her Senate colleagues in a bipartisan letter to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) urging for increased telehealth resources and support.
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