TAFA Applauds President Biden’s Call to Address Mental Health Crisis, Urges Congressional Action On Telehealth

Mar 2, 2022

Following President’s Remarks and as Long-Term Funding Discussions Continue, Telehealth Access for America Urges Congress to Protect Patients’ Access to Telehealth

Washington, D.C – Telehealth Access for America issued the following statement in response to President Biden’s call to address the nation’s mental health crisis, highlighting virtual care’s behavioral health care benefits and underscoring the ongoing need for urgent action from Congress to protect access to telehealth.

“We thank President Biden for acknowledging the need for Congress to address the nation’s mental health crisis during his State of the Union Address, and the White House’s commitment to ensuring coverage of tele-behavioral health and his support for appropriate delivery of telemedicine across state lines. As Congress debates the long-term funding bill, which has a quickly nearing March 11 deadline, we encourage members on both sides of the aisle to work with the President to protect this critical access to telehealth and remove arbitrary barriers to behavioral telehealth services,” said TAFA spokesperson Julia Mirich.

Telehealth mental services help generate positive health outcomes and, as the White House has noted, these services have proven to be both safe and effective, and help reduce barriers to care. Millions of patients need certainty that they will have access to the virtual care they rely on. Congress should seize the opportunity to protect telehealth access in the upcoming long-term funding bill and help address our nation’s mental health crisis,” concluded Mirich.

ABOUT TELEHEALTH ACCESS FOR AMERICA

Telehealth Access for America (TAFA) is a public education campaign supported by leaders in health care committed to better care, expanded patient choice, and protecting access to critical telehealth services.

Learn more at www.telehealthaccessforamerica.org.

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