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President Donald J. Trump Is Expanding Access to Telehealth Services and Ensuring Continued Access to Healthcare for Rural Americans

EXPANDING TELEHEALTH SERVICES: President Donald J. Trump is unleashing America’s innovation to provide millions of citizens with healthcare services during a global pandemic.

  • Today, President Trump is signing a new Executive Order to further expand access to telehealth services during the COVID-19 pandemic, especially in rural communities.
  • Through this order, the President is also taking action to extend the availability of certain telehealth services after the current public health emergency ends.
  • These telehealth expansions build on the work the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has done during the public health emergency to more than double allowable telehealth services, greatly expanding access to high quality care.
    • The Administration has also allowed additional types of practitioners to provide telehealth services and additional telecommunications applications.
  • Likewise, the Department of Veterans Affairs and Department of Defense have taken action to expand telehealth services for veterans, active military, and their families.
  • At this critical time, President Trump is focused on ensuring American’s have continued access to high-quality healthcare and expanded telehealth services is a key part of that effort.

IMPROVING RURAL HEALTHCARE ACCESSIBILITY: The President is using every tool to ensure rural Americans have access to medical care during the COVID-19 pandemic.

  • The expansion of telehealth services especially offers benefits to Americans living in rural communities, who might otherwise not have access to these services.
  • Through his order, the President his Administration to deploy strategic investments in our rural communications infrastructure.
  • The order requires the Department of Health and Human Services to announce a new payment model testing innovations that empower rural hospitals to transform healthcare in their communities on a broader scale.
  • To improve connectivity, the President’s order also directs the Federal Government to launch a joint initiative in 30 days to improve the healthcare communication infrastructure and to expand rural healthcare services.

KEEPING AMERICANS SAFE AND HEALTHY: President Trump is delivering a vast array of strong actions to protect the health of Americans during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond.

  • Last month, President Trump signed four Executive Orders to help lower prescription drug costs for Americans.
  • The President has placed special focus on protecting the health of our most vulnerable communities during the pandemic and has surged support to nursing homes across America.
  • To empower patients to choose the best doctor at the best price, President Trump is giving Americans transparency with the price and quality of services before care is received.
  • President Trump stopped surprise medical billing during the pandemic by prohibiting physicians and other providers accepting funds from the Provider Relief Fund from balance billing patients for COVID-19 testing and care.