Schatz leads bill to permanently expand telehealth as pandemic-era coverage nears expiration

A bipartisan group of 60 US senators has reintroduced the Creating Opportunities Now for Necessary and Effective Care Technologies (CONNECT) for Health Act, aiming to expand telehealth coverage through Medicare and make pandemic-era flexibilities permanent. Without congressional action, current telehealth flexibilities will expire on Sept. 30.

The bill, led by Sen. Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i) and Sen. Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), seeks to remove geographic restrictions, allow more healthcare providers to use telehealth and eliminate in-person visit requirements for telemental health services.

“Telehealth is helping people get the care they need, and it’s here to stay,” Schatz said.

Companion legislation has been introduced in the House of Representatives by Rep. Mike Thompson (D- Calif.), Doris Matsui (D-Calif.), David Schweikert (R-Ariz.) and Troy Balderson (R-Ohio).

The bill has bipartisan backing in both chambers and is supported by more than 150 organizations, including the American Medical Association and AARP.

The full text of the bill is available here.