On April 29, 2024, a group of U.S. Representatives including Representative Mike Thompson (D-St. Helena) introduced H.R. 8151, bipartisan legislation that would permanently expand the list of practitioners eligible who provide telehealth services to include qualified physical therapists, occupational therapists, speech language pathologists, and audiologists.
Currently, these practitioners do not have permanent authorization to deliver electronic or virtual care to their patients. Families have come to rely on telehealth since the COVID-19 pandemic. This legislation would help to preserve these authorities so that families, particularly in rural and underserved areas, have equal access to world-class health care.