Shenango Valley News

U.S. Representatives Mike Kelly (R-PA), Mike Thompson (D-CA), and Adrian Smith (R-NE) have introduced a new piece of legislation, H.R. 1614, which aims to permanently expand telehealth services. This bipartisan bill proposes to include qualified physical therapists, occupational therapists, speech-language pathologists, and audiologists among those eligible to provide telehealth services.

Currently, these practitioners lack permanent authorization for delivering electronic or virtual care. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, families have increasingly relied on telehealth. Legislators argue that it is crucial for Congress to maintain these services to ensure equal access to healthcare, particularly in rural and underserved areas.

Rep. Kelly emphasized the convenience telehealth offers: “Americans across the country, especially rural areas, have seen the benefits of telehealth services following the COVID-19 pandemic. Seniors now have the convenience of seeing their doctor from the comfort of their own home.” He added that this expansion would be a significant step towards addressing future healthcare needs.

Rep. Thompson highlighted telehealth as an effective means of providing healthcare: “Telehealth is a proven method of delivering health care to patients who need it, especially those in rural, difficult-to-access, and underserved communities." He expressed gratitude towards his colleagues for their collaboration on this initiative.

Rep. Smith pointed out the reliance on telehealth by seniors: “Seniors have come to rely on telehealth as a proven tool to expand health care access and improve health outcomes.” He noted that making temporary authorizations permanent would help providers serve patients better in remote areas.

Alyson Stover from the American Occupational Therapy Association supported the bill: “Waivers authorizing occupational therapy professionals to provide services via telehealth in Medicare have enabled beneficiaries to receive effective occupational therapy intervention in new environments while removing barriers.”

The representatives had previously introduced similar legislation in 2024 and continue efforts based on past legislative successes like H.R. 4040—Advancing Telehealth Beyond COVID-19 Act—which passed with strong support in July 2022.