[20200520]IF11554_2019冠状病毒疾病期间VA远程医疗服务的提供.pdf

https:/crsreports.congress.gov May 20, 2020Delivery of VA Telehealth Services During COVID-19Introduction The Veterans Health Administration (VHA) of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is responsible for providing health care benefits to eligible veterans. In FY2020, about 9.3 million veterans were enrolled in VA health care (https:/go.usa.gov/xvFTz). Of those enrolled in the VHA, approximately 7.1 million of them received health care services. During the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, both routine and urgent in-person health care services are either being postponed or shifted to telehealth by the VHA for those veterans who (1) do not have COVID-19 diagnoses, (2) are not exhibiting symptoms of the disease, and (3) are not at high risk of being affected by the disease. (To learn more about VAs response to COVID-19, see CRS Report R46340, Federal Response to COVID-19: Department of Veterans Affairs.) Telehealth generally refers to health care providers use of information and communication technology to provide a health care service. This In Focus provides an overview of veterans access to VA telehealth services and discusses two funding activities that aim to ass