Advancing Telehealth Beyond Covid-19 Act of 2021

Floor Speech

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Mrs. MILLER-MEEKS. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 4040. This bill would extend telehealth flexibilities under Medicare until 2024. These flexibilities allow physicians to be more widely available to patients who no longer need to wait weeks for a visit or take hours off work to sit in a doctor's office.

While I support this bill, I am disappointed that the majority did not follow the regular committee process, which could have further improved the bill in a bipartisan way.

For example, the committee could have incorporated elements of the Greater Access to Telehealth Act, which I am proud to co-lead with the gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Schweikert) and the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Carter). This bill would extend the telehealth flexibility until 2026 and includes policies to support health savings accounts. But the majority did not follow regular order, and that is a great disservice to a commonsense bill like H.R. 4040.

Regardless, and despite the procedural irregularities, I support the bill, and I encourage my colleagues to vote for H.R. 4040.

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