The AAMC joined the higher education community on a Dec. 14 letter urging congressional leadership to include the Temporary Reciprocity to Ensure Access to Treatment Act (TREAT, H.R. 8283, S. 4421) as part of the next COVID-19 relief package or spending bill [see related story].
The bipartisan, bicameral TREAT Act would allow health care professionals licensed in good standing to provide in-person care or telehealth visits from any state throughout the COVID-19 pandemic and in future national emergencies without jeopardizing their state licensure.
The letter notes, “The pandemic is understandably taking a toll on students, with a growing body of evidence showing increased anxiety and depression among young people as they struggle to navigate a college experience very different from the one they envisioned. Unfortunately, the patchwork of state and local licensing laws that restrict the provision of care across state lines remains a significant barrier to timely access to vital physical and mental health care.”
The AAMC has previously supported the TREAT Act [see Washington Highlights, Sept. 25] and urged Congress to include it in the next COVID-19 relief package since it provides important flexibility to ensure that patients receive the care they need during an emergency [see Washington Highlights, Nov. 20].