The Urgent Need For The CONNECT Act: Make Telehealth Access for Everyone Permanent

By Kevin Garcia-Galindo, Policy Associate for The LIBRE Initiative

If Congress does not pass the CONNECT Act, introduced by Senator Schatz of Hawaii, over 60 million users many on Medicaid and Medicare could lose their access to telehealth—a crucial equalizer for rural and working-class Americans who might overwise not have the ability or time to travel for an in-person healthcare appointment.

This loss of access is particularly concerning given that 80% of counties across the U.S. are classified as healthcare deserts, meaning they lack the necessary healthcare services needed for a person to maintain their health. Older Americans, minorities, individuals with disabilities, and Americans in rural parts of the country would be especially burdened by this lack of access to telehealth because of mobility challenges.

As one of the largest Hispanic grassroots organizations in the country, The LIBRE Initiative is especially concerned for our community which will be hit hard. Hispanics are the largest minority group in rural America and one in six Hispanics in the U.S. have a disability. As a result, Hispanics stand out as one of the groups that have seen the largest percentage increase in use of telehealth.

Telehealth helps solves these issues by meeting patients where they are and when they are most available or in need to a rapid short appointment for the occasional winter cold or flu.  When it comes to seeking help from a mental help professional, more than half of these consultations occurred through telehealth.

This doesn’t just mean that telehealth is sometimes the only an option for specific communities, but it’s a policy that helps every American. Last month, a poll from the Pew Research Center revealed that 67% of American say that healthcare affordability is a “very big problem” for the country—this is even higher than most Americans said for other big issues like inflation, unemployment, and the federal budget deficit.

Telehealth is just one of the simplest and easiest ways to cut down on healthcare cost. One study found that telehealth was nearly 30 percent less expensive than in-person care, even without accounting for the savings in transportation time.

The CONNECT Act would help make permanent the regulatory flexibility that was granted in 2022 for telehealth services, which so far have been used by over 60 million people.

We need to stop debating the utility of a service that so many Americans have already formed a deep trust in and make it a permanent fixture. In 2023, 87% of patients who received telehealth services were satisfied with their experience. This should be seen from Congress’ point of view to be a resounding yes from their constituents that they want telehealth services to be reality available for every American.

It’s time for Congress to permanently fix this issue. We are calling on Members to support Senators Schatz (D-HI), Wicker (R-MS), Warner (D-VA), Hyde-Smith (R-MS), Welch (D-VT), and Barrasso (R-WY)