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Shaheen, bipartisan group calls on VA Secretary Wilkie to provide coverage for telehealth services for veterans’ families during pandemic

By Staff | Sep 10, 2020

U.S. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen

WASHINGTON – U.S. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) joined a bipartisan group of Senators to call on Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Secretary Robert Wilkie to provide coverage of comprehensive telehealth services, including voice communication, for beneficiaries of the Civilian Health and Medical Program of the Department of Veterans Affairs (CHAMPVA).

Currently, federal regulations do not allow CHAMPVA to cover health care services that are delivered through audio-only conferencing, telephone calls and text messaging.

“Our constituents, including those who reside in rural areas where internet access may be limited, need access to telehealth services that involve voice communication, especially during a public health emergency,” wrote the Senators in their letter. “We appreciate the steps VA has taken in recent years to make telehealth more accessible to veterans and their families, but in order for this access to be meaningful, it must reach constituents through the platforms that work best for them and their providers. As such, we urge VA to take the necessary steps to immediately ensure CHAMPVA beneficiaries are able to access health services through voice communication platforms.”

The letter was led by Senator Baldwin (D-WI) and also signed by Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Jon Tester (D-MT), Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Patrick Leahy (D-VT), Angus King (I-ME), Tina Smith (D-MN), Jack Reed (D-RI), Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ), Michael Rounds (R-SD), Sherrod Brown (D-OH) and Amy Klobuchar (D-MN).

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