Top Republican on the Ways and Means Health Subcommittee Rep. Vern Buchanan (R-FL) emphasized that telehealth can be a powerful tool to increase access for patients with disabilities and chronic conditions, and urged his colleagues in a subcommittee hearing to make essential telehealth flexibilities permanent. The remarks came during a HealtH Subcommittee hearing on Thursday afternoon.

Excerpts from Rep. Buchanan’s remarks appear below.

“With the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the challenges faced by individuals with disabilities and chronic conditions came into sharper focus. 

 

“It is well-documented that people with disabilities and chronic diseases have a high risk of serious complications related to COVID-19, including a higher likelihood of death. The National Council on Disability found that these individuals were also at a higher risk of receiving less adequate COVID-19 treatment in hospitals and other settings.

 

“And, as we discussed yesterday in our full committee hearing, while the pandemic continues to affect the mental health crisis our country faces, in many cases, people with mental health disabilities have seen their condition get worse. 

 

“In early 2020 when the pandemic first hit, thanks to swift action from Congress and the Trump administration, numerous waivers and flexibilities were implemented so that patients could connect with their providers without the fear of exposing themselves to COVID-19. 

 

[…]

 

“The past two years have demonstrated how telehealth can be a tremendously powerful tool, particularly for patients with disabilities and chronic conditions, and reduce the challenges and barriers faced by these individuals. It is evident that access to telehealth services needs to remain intact after the pandemic ends.

 

“Numerous reports have found how telehealth has improved access to care, and patients deserve to keep access to many of these advancements.”

Rep. Buchanan’s full remarks as prepared for delivery appear below.

 

Thank you, Chairman Doggett. 

 

First I’d like to say that I’m excited to be serving as the new Republican Leader of the Ways and Means Health Subcommittee and I look forward to working with you and the rest of the subcommittee members more in this new role. 

 

I hope we continue to have important discussions like the one today to find meaningful, bipartisan solutions to lower health care costs and expand choice and access for patients across the country.

 

With the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the challenges faced by individuals with disabilities and chronic conditions came into sharper focus. 

 

It is well-documented that people with disabilities and chronic diseases have a particularly high risk of serious complications related to COVID-19, including a higher likelihood of death. The National Council on Disability found that these individuals were also at a higher risk of receiving less adequate COVID-19 treatment in hospitals and other settings. 

 

And, as we discussed yesterday in our full committee hearing, while the pandemic continues to affect the mental health crisis our country faces, in many cases, people with mental health disabilities have seen their condition get worse.

 

In early 2020 when the pandemic first hit, thanks to swift action from Congress and the Trump administration, numerous waivers and flexibilities were implemented so that patients could connect with their providers without the fear of exposing themselves to COVID-19. 

 

During the first months of the Public Health Emergency, telehealth utilization soared to unprecedented levels as the national weekly average of Medicare beneficiaries utilizing telehealth services jumped from approximately 13,000 people per week to almost 1.7 million.

 

While these numbers have since decreased, the number of patients using telehealth services is still well above pre-pandemic levels.

 

The past two years have demonstrated how telehealth can be a tremendously powerful tool, particularly for patients with disabilities and chronic conditions, and reduce the challenges and barriers faced by these individuals. It is evident that access to telehealth services needs to remain intact after the pandemic ends. 

 

People with disabilities and chronic conditions have greatly benefitted from video conferences and audio-only visits, as telehealth alleviates many hurdles that come with getting to in-person appointments. 

 

Numerous reports have found how telehealth has improved access to care, and patients deserve to keep access to many of these advancements.

 

Telehealth has also reduced or eliminated longstanding barriers for patients who live in remote areas since these individuals tend to report improved access to specialists and better clinical outcomes. 

 

Given the progress we’ve made the past two years on telehealth, we should move forward, not backwards, and Congress cannot let these essential benefits expire. With COVID-19 quickly becoming “endemic” rather than pandemic, we need to ensure that expanded access to care does not disappear.

 

In fact, just last week, the Florida senate passed a bill to allow audio-only telehealth as an acceptable care delivery method. Congress should follow Florida’s lead by preserving telehealth flexibilities.

 

Mr. Chairman, I would like to submit a letter for the record from the National Council on Disability to the Congressional Budget Office in April 2021 which states that countries relying on these metrics “to set drug prices have restricted or denied patients with disabilities access to effective drugs used to treat chronic conditions and to breakthrough medications.” 

 

Thank you and I yield back.