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MEDICAL YEAR
IN REVIEW

gency was a feasible solution to ease the burden of care for so many pa- Similar access restrictions are not required for patients seeking services
tients. We needed it to stay. for substance use disorders or co-occurring mental health conditions.
Our patients can safely access needed mental health services during The Tele-Mental Health Care Access Act (S.2061) could remove the
the COVID-19 pandemic through telehealth. Congress and the Ad- six month in-person barrier to accessing mental health treatment for
ministration acted to lift many of Medicare's telehealth restrictions, but Medicare patients. This bill could potentially help patients access men-
at the end of the Public Health Emergency, Medicare will require that tal health care, avoid worse outcomes and likely avoid higher-level crisis
individuals seeking mental health treatment need to meet in person interventions that are more expensive to our state, our patients and
with a clinician within six months of the first telehealth visit. This re- Medicare. In my opinion, although telehealth visits will never be supe-
striction could impede access to care for patients seeking mental health rior to in-person visits, this could be a superior solution to no visits at
services, especially elderly patients that depend on Medicare to be able all. All of us have a privileged position where our voices can be heard,
to afford health care. and it only takes a couple of minutes to help our elderly and/or inca-
Our geriatric population is approximately 16.5% of the American pacitated population.
population and is expected to reach 22% by 2050. As per a CDC tele-
health and telemedicine publication, “Telehealth is a promising public Ivelisse Velázquez Negrón, MD is a resident in the Depart-
health tool because of its ment of Psychiatry at the UT Health Long School of Medicine.
1) potentially significant impact on medically underserved She is a resident member of the Bexar County Medical Society.
populations through increased access,
2) increasing prevalence as a recognized standard of care,
3) influence on the provider-patient relationship, and
4) potential to save billions of dollars in healthcare expenditures.”

ABCD Pediatrics, PA MacGregor Medical Center San Antonio
Dermatology Associates of San Antonio, PA MEDNAX
Diabetes & Glandular Disease Clinic, PA Peripheral Vascular Associates, PA

ENT Clinics of San Antonio, PA San Antonio Eye Center, PA
Gastroenterology Consultants of San Antonio San Antonio Gastroenterology Associates, PA
General Surgical Associates San Antonio Infectious Diseases Consultants

Greater San Antonio Emergency Physicians, PA San Antonio Pediatric Surgery Associates, PA
Health Texas Medical Group South Texas Radiology Group, PA
Institute for Women’s Health South Texas Renal Care Group
Little Spurs Pediatric Urgent Care, PLLC Star Anesthesia (USAP Texas-South)
Lone Star OB-GYN Associates, PA The San Antonio Orthopaedic Group

M & S Radiology Associates, PA Urology San Antonio, PA

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