Search Results for: telehealth

Daines Pushes for Expanded Telehealth Services at Senate Hearing

Montana Witness Says Telehealth Services Help Address Workforce Shortages U.S. SENATE – U.S. Senator Steve Daines at a Senate Finance Health Care Subcommittee hearing discussed the importance of expanding telehealth services, especially for rural states like Montana. Watch Daines’ opening remarks HERE. “In rural states like Montana…telehealth has completely changed the game in terms of health care access. At our rural health care hearing earlier this year, I highlighted that two of the most challenging barriers to accessing care in rural states are distance and transportation, we might add weather at times with our Montana winters. With the ability to receive care virtually

Daines, Smith Renew Push to Permanently Expand Telehealth Services During Telehealth Awareness Week

U.S. SENATE – U.S. Senators Steve Daines (R-Mont.) and Tina Smith (D-Minn.) in honor of Telehealth Awareness Week today reintroduced their bipartisan “Expanded Telehealth Access Act” that would make pandemic-driven expanded access to telehealth services under Medicare permanent. “In rural states like Montana, folks often have to drive long distances just to receive care. Expanded telehealth services help relieve this burden and give folks increased access to quality, affordable care. Now is not the time to cut back on these critical services, and I’ll keep working to ensure Montanans are able to see the providers they need,” Daines said. “The pandemic showed

Daines, Smith Renew Push to Permanently Expand Telehealth Services During Telehealth Awareness Week

U.S. SENATE – U.S. Senators Steve Daines (R-Mont.) and Tina Smith (D-Minn.) in honor of Telehealth Awareness Week today reintroduced their bipartisan “Expanded Telehealth Access Act” that would make pandemic-driven expanded access to telehealth services under Medicare permanent. “In rural states like Montana, folks often have to drive long distances just to receive care. Expanded telehealth services help relieve this burden and give folks increased access to quality, affordable care. Now is not the time to cut back on these critical services, and I’ll keep working to ensure Montanans are able to see the providers they need,” Daines said. “The pandemic showed us

Daines, Cortez Masto Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Protect Americans’ Access to Telehealth Services

U.S. SENATE – U.S. Senator Steve Daines (R-Mont.) and Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) today reintroduced a bipartisan bill that would make expanded access to telehealth services permanent. These services were used extensively during the pandemic and many Americans, especially those in rural areas, still depend on them to access care. “Telehealth helps ensure Montanans in every corner of our state have access to the care they need. Especially in rural states like Montana, we should be working to expand telehealth, not cut access when folks have come to depend on these resources,” Daines said. “Telehealth is critical for workers and their families to access the essential health care services they need. Nevadans

Daines Announces Over $450K to Support Anaconda Telehealth Program

U.S. SENATE — U.S. Senator Steve Daines today announced $457,603 will be granted to AWARE Inc. in Anaconda, Montana to purchase equipment and software to help improve the connectivity and capabilities of their telehealth program and provide critical remote services to Montanans. “For many Montanans, telehealth has become a vital lifeline to healthcare,” Daines said. “I’m glad to see AWARE Inc. in Anaconda receive these resources to help make telehealth more reliable and accessible for Montanans.”  Daines helped secure this funding through the CARES Act.   ###  Contact: Rachel Dumke, Katie Schoettler

Daines, Smith, Moran, Rosen Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Expand Telehealth Access

U.S. SENATE – U.S. Senator Steve Daines today introduced a bipartisan bill with Senators Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) and Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.) that would make pandemic-driven expanded access to telehealth services under Medicare permanent.  “For many Montanans, the windshield time it takes to see a doctor can be a significant barrier to getting the health care they need. Thankfully, telehealth is transforming how folks receive care. Particularly in our rural communities, telehealth is no longer just an innovative option for accessing services, it has become a vital lifeline to care,” Daines said. “After the public health emergency ends, we need to ensure Montanans continue to have access to

Daines, Cortez Masto Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Make Pandemic-Driven Expanded Telehealth Access Permanent

U.S. SENATE –U.S. Senator Steve Daines today introduced a bipartisan bill with Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) that would make pandemic-driven expanded access to telehealth services permanent. Daines originally authored and passed a temporary provision in the “CARES Act” to expand access to virtual care services during the pandemic and unveiled legislation making it permanent today at a Senate Finance Committee hearing focused on health care flexibilities and lessons learned from the pandemic.  “I believe we need to make expanded access to telehealth permanent for Montanans and all Americans, especially in rural areas – not cut access back once we’re post

Daines, Tester push FCC to prioritize Telehealth funding for Montana

HELENA – Sen. Steve Daines and Sen. Jon Tester signed a bipartisan letter Wednesday to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to prioritize COVID-19 Telehealth Program funding in Montana and other rural states. According to an email from Sen. Daines’ office, Montana was one of three states that did not receive financial assistance for the program amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The following is the letter signed by Sen. Daines and Sen. Tester:

Daines Pushes to Expand Permanent Telehealth Coverage

U.S. SENATE – U.S. Senator Steve Daines today sent a letter to Congressional leadership calling for the expansion of access to telehealth services during the COVID-19 pandemic to be made permanent. Provisions from Daines’ “CONNECT for Health Act” have allowed Medicare beneficiaries in Montana to utilize telehealth services and were included in previous COVID-19 legislation but will expire following the pandemic unless Congress acts to make those measures permanent. “Telehealth has been a critical tool during the COVID-19 pandemic in ensuring that patients can continue to receive the health care services that they need while minimizing the spread of the virus

COVID-19 Shapes the Future of Telehealth

Before the coronavirus pandemic began limiting nonemergency hospital visits all over the country in March, Virtual Health Manager Nicki Perisho says Kalispell Regional Healthcare (KRH) was conducting an average of 20 telehealth visits a month. But once the stay-at-home order went into effect, telehealth appointments multiplied to almost 500 per day. While the high volume of virtual visits scaled back to about 150 per day by early July, Perisho says the pandemic has paved the way for telehealth’s future and patients and providers are now recognizing its convenience and effectiveness. While many patients are still anxious about coronavirus exposure in