Gallego Cosponsors Bipartisan Bill Strengthening Telehealth Addiction Services

Senator Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) has cosponsored bipartisan legislation strengthening telehealth addiction services.

Specifically, the Telehealth Response for E-prescribing Addiction Therapy Services (TREATS) Act codifies telehealth provisions and flexibilities introduced during the COVID-19 pandemic, thereby allowing patients access to medication-assisted treatment from home.

"The opioid and fentanyl epidemic has devastated Arizona families for far too long," said Sen. Gallego in his press release, adding, "In 2023, we lost more than five Arizonans every single day to an opioid overdose, and too many others are still struggling to find help."

Additionally, Sen. Gallego stated, "Addiction treatment shouldn't depend on a zip code. By making these pandemic-era telehealth tools permanent through the TREATS Act, we can ensure that every Arizonan—regardless of where they live—has access to safe, effective treatment and the stability, recovery, and hope they deserve."

Last December, Representative David Schweikert (R-AZ) called for an extension of telehealth services, calling it "by far the most moral and bipartisan method of providing access to care."

"Telehealth plays a critical role in health care delivery – a fact that Congress has recognized by expanding coverage during and after the COVID-19 public health emergency," Rep. Schweikert continued, adding, "Rural and underserved communities rely on telehealth services, and Congress should recognize federally qualified health centers and rural health clinics as telehealth distant site providers."

More recently, Representative Eli Crane (R-AZ) highlighted the Rural Health Transformation Program in October of this year, part of which involved the expansion of telehealth services, in addition to provisions that require states to remove anti-competitive regulations, such as certificate-of-need laws, expand the roles of nurse practitioners and physician assistants, and create incentives for medical students to complete rural clinical rotations.

"This $50 billion program is about delivering dignity and dependable care to rural communities, making sure every American has access to affordable, high-quality treatment," said Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.