2022: Fitzpatrick Voted To Extend The Authority For Medicare To Cover
Telehealth Services Through The Later End Of 2024 Or The End Of The
COVID-19 Public Health Emergency. In July 2022, according to
Congressional Quarterly, Fitzpatrick voted for the Advancing Telehealth
Beyond COVID--19 Act of 2021, which would "extend, through the later of
the end of 2024 or the end of the COVID-19 public health emergency,
temporary authorities for Medicare to cover telehealth services,
including services provided by federally qualified health centers and
rural health clinics; services received by beneficiaries at any site,
including their homes; substance use disorder and mental health services
without in-person visits; audio-only services; and services provided by
occupational therapists, physical therapists, speech-language
pathologists and audiologists. The telehealth authorities were initially
authorized by the March 2020 coronavirus relief law (PL 116-136) and
later extended through 151 days after the end of the public health
emergency by the fiscal 2022 omnibus funding law (PL 117-103). As an
offset, it would decrease funding available for the Medicare Improvement
Fund from $7.5 billion to $5.153 billion." The vote was passage. The
House passed the bill by a vote 416-12, thus the bill was sent to the
Senate. The Senate did not take substantive action on the bill. [House
Vote 400, 7/27/22;
Congressional Quarterly,
7/27/22; Congressional
Actions, H.R.
4040]
2022: Fitzpatrick Effectively Voted Against The Advancing Telehealth
Beyond COVID--19 Act Of 2021. In July 2022, according to Congressional
Quarterly, Fitzpatrick voted for the "motion to recommit the bill to the
House Energy and Commerce Committee." The vote was on a motion to
recommit. The House rejected the motion by a vote 205-221, thus the
House voted on passage subsequently. [House Vote 399,
7/27/22; Congressional
Quarterly, 7/27/22;
Congressional Actions, H.R.
4040]