On March 9, Congress released its 2022 budget bill, which includes funding for doctors to provide remote health care services to patients.
According Medical Economics, the spending plan totals $1.5 trillion in discretionary spending.
"Our health care system has been under incredible strain over the past two years," American College of Physicians President Dr. George Abraham told Medical Economics. "We appreciate that the bill passed by the House will give stability to federal health and health care programs and increase funding for so many of them. We call on the Senate to also pass the legislation without delay."
The legislation includes grants to improve maternal health and will increase funding for other programs, protections and rights as well.
The bill did draw criticism from the American Hospital Association (AHA) for not including funding to counter the COVID-19 pandemic.
"We appreciate that Congress included important provisions in the legislative package related to telehealth, 340B and maternal health that will help hospitals and health systems enhance the health of their patients and communities,” AHA said, according to Medical Economics. "However, we are disappointed that Congress did not provide additional COVID-19 relief. We will continue to urge Congress to provide additional support to hospitals and health systems and their frontline caregivers as we enter year three of the COVID-19 public health emergency."
