The CONNECT Act is Back, Giving Telehealth Policy a 4th Shot at Passage
The CONNECT for Health Act is back before Congress for a 4th time, and backers say the massive telehealth bill could cross the finish line this time on broad bipartisan support and pressure to set long-term connected health policy.
Will the fourth time be the charm for the CONNECT for Health Act?
The massive telehealth bill – officially known as the Creating Opportunities Now for Necessary and Effective Care Technologies for Health Act of 2021 – has been re-introduced once again to a Congress facing increasing pressure to take a stand on long-term connected health policy. And its backers are touting the fact that the bill has the support of more than 150 organizations and half the Senate.
They’re also hoping that the surge in telehealth use during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic will give the bill that final push it’s been needing since 2016.
“The last year has shown us that telehealth works, it’s popular, and it’s here to stay,” Senator Brian Schatz (D-HI), one of the bill’s primary sponsors and a long-time telehealth advocate, said in a press release issued this week. “Our comprehensive bill makes it easier for more people to safely get the care they need no matter where they live.”
Author: Eric Wicklund
Published online 4.30.2021