WASHINGTON – U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), both members of the Senate Finance Committee, sent a letter to Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Administrator Terry Cole urging the DEA to extend telemedicine flexibilities for prescribing controlled substances. The current flexibilities, which have been critical in connecting individuals in rural and underserved communities with access to essential medications, are set to expire December 31, 2025.

“We write to urge the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) to act quickly and extend critical flexibilities for telemedicine prescribing of controlled substances that were first put in place during the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency,” wrote the senators. “These policies ensure individuals can successfully access medical treatment via telehealth, and for many—including those with substance use disorder—these flexibilities have been life-saving.”

The senators continued, “Telemedicine has been instrumental in expanding access to health care, supporting those with the greatest need and bridging the divide between patients and providers, especially for individuals in rural and under-resourced areas. The flexibility afforded by telemedicine has been particularly important in providing access to essential medications, including those for mental health conditions, substance use disorders, and chronic illnesses.”

The senators highlighted that without continued telemedicine flexibilities, millions of Americans could lose access to essential health services, including mental and behavioral health care.

“Americans face barriers to accessing mental health and substance use disorder treatment services, particularly in rural and under-resourced communities. As of August 2024, more than one third of the U.S. population, or 122 million individuals, live in a Mental Health Professional Shortage Area, as determined by an insufficient psychiatrist-to-population ratio. Rural areas face additional provider shortages, with many lacking access to psychologists, clinical social workers, and other types of providers. These challenges underscore the importance of maintaining flexibilities that increase access to treatment and services. Telemedicine flexibilities have ensured that patients receive timely and necessary care, at a time and location that is convenient for them,” added the senators.

These telemedicine flexibilities were made possible by the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency, which allowed for an exception to the in-person medical evaluation requirement under the Ryan Haight Online Pharmacy Consumer Protection Act, legislation regulating the online prescription of controlled substances. The DEA has previously recognized the life-saving success of telemedicine flexibilities for prescribing controlled substances and since January 2020, has extended these temporary flexibilities three times.

Sen. Warner has been a longtime advocate for increased access to telehealth services, emphasizing that consistent, uninterrupted access to providers is fundamental to managing chronic conditions, supporting mental health, preventing small health issues from becoming crises, and modernizing our health system. He is an original co-author of the CONNECT for Health Act, which seeks to expand the coverage of telehealth services through Medicare, make COVID-19 telehealth flexibilities permanent, and make it easier for patients to safely connect with their doctors. He also previously wrote to both the Biden and Trump administrations urging the DEA to finalize regulations that allow doctors to prescribe controlled substances through telehealth. At the height of the COVID-19 crisis, Sen. Warner sent a letter to Senate leadership calling for the permanent expansion of access to telehealth services. In September 2023, Sen. Warner led bipartisan partners to share serious concerns about an earlier version of DEA’s proposed rule, which would also have seriously curtailed access to prescriptions through telemedicine.

In October 2025, Sens. Warner and Whitehouse reintroduced the bipartisan Telehealth Response for E-prescribing Addiction Therapy Services (TREATS) Act, which addresses regulatory hurdles to accessing telehealth services. In 2018, Sen. Warner included a provision to expand financial coverage for virtual substance use treatment in the Opioid Crisis Response Act of 2018. In 2003, then-Gov. Warner expanded Medicaid coverage for telemedicine statewide, including evaluation and management visits, a range of individual psychotherapies, the full range of consultations, and some clinical services, including in cardiology and obstetrics. Coverage was also expanded to include non-physician providers. Among other benefits, the telehealth expansion allowed individuals in medically underserved and remote areas of Virginia to access quality specialty care that isn’t always available at home.

The full letter is available here.

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* High-quality photographs of Sen. Mark R. Warner are available for download here *

Photos may be used online and in print, and can be attributed to ‘The Office of Sen. Mark R. Warner’

WASHINGTON  – U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner (D-VA), Susan Collins (R-ME), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), and Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) introduced the bipartisan Alzheimer’s Screening and Prevention (ASAP) Act, a bill that would require the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to create a pathway to cover blood biomarker tests approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the early detection of Alzheimer’s disease. The FDA approved the first blood-based biomarker test for use by primary care physicians earlier this year, but physicians could be hesitant to use the tests if they are not reimbursed by CMS. U.S. Representative Vern Buchanan (R-FL-16) has introduced companion legislation in the House of Representatives.

“My mother battled Alzheimer’s for a decade before her passing, and I saw firsthand just how devastating this disease is,” said Sen. Warner, co-chair of the Congressional Task Force on Alzheimer’s Disease. “By expanding access to early detection testing, this legislation would help thousands of patients and families in Virginia be pro-active with their care and treatment of Alzheimer’s.”

“Alzheimer’s is one of the greatest public health challenges of our time, affecting more than seven million Americans, including nearly 29,000 people in Maine. Early diagnosis is essential, yet too many patients continue to go undiagnosed until their symptoms become severe,” said Sen. Collins, co-chair of the Congressional Task Force on Alzheimer’s Disease. “Our bipartisan ASAP Act would require Medicare to cover FDA-approved blood tests for Alzheimer’s, expanding access to earlier testing, and giving patients and their families more time to plan, seek support, and pursue the best options for care for their loved ones.”

“My grandmother lived with Alzheimer’s disease for many years, so I know the pain and distress this illness can cause to patients and loved ones alike,” said Sen. Cortez Masto. “The sooner this disease is detected, the sooner patients and their families can seek treatment and make plans for the future. I’ll never stop working across the aisle to ensure Nevada’s seniors have access to the health care they need.”

“Alzheimer’s is a disease that has touched so many West Virginia families, including my own. While we are making breakthroughs in research and treatment, early screening and detection remain essential in improving outcomes and getting us closer to ending this devastating disease. That is why I am proud to help introduce the Alzheimer’s Screening and Prevention (ASAP) Act, legislation that ensures patients have access to the early testing they need,” said Sen. Capito.

Specifically, the ASAP Act would:

1. Create the authority for CMS to cover FDA-approved blood-based dementia screening tests; and
2. Maintain CMS’ authority to use an evidence-based process to determine coverage parameters for these new tests.

The ASAP Act has been endorsed by the Alzheimer’s Association.

“New blood tests that can detect Alzheimer’s are coming soon. We need legislative action now so people living with the disease can access them without delay,” said Robert Egge, chief public policy officer of the Alzheimer’s Association and president of the Alzheimer’s Impact Movement. “The ASAP Act makes that possible, removing barriers and opening the door to earlier care and better outcomes. We're grateful for the longstanding bipartisan commitment of these congressional champions and their leadership on this landmark legislation. Together, we can make this bipartisan bill deliver for the Alzheimer’s community.”

Sen. Warner has been a longtime leader of legislative efforts to advance Alzheimer’s research, prevention, treatment, and care. As co-chair of the Congressional Task Force on Alzheimer’s Disease, he has introduced and passed the bipartisan National Alzheimer’s Project Act (NAPA) and the Alzheimer’s Accountability and Investment Act, as well as urged President Trump for increased funding for Alzheimer’s research.

The complete text of the legislation can be read here.

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WASHINGTON – U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) released the following statement:

“Every day this shutdown drags on, Virginians feel it, from federal workers struggling to pay their bills to families unsure how they will put food on the table because this administration is cruelly and deliberately withholding the assistance they need. I want nothing more than to reopen the government, get folks back to work, and end the needless hardship this Republican shutdown is causing.

“I appreciate that this proposal includes important language preventing further mass layoffs of federal employees. That’s a critical step in protecting our public servants from this administration’s campaign of retribution, and something I’ve long pushed for.

“But I cannot support a deal that still leaves millions of Americans wondering how they are going to pay for their health care or whether they will be able to afford to get sick. We owe the American people more than a short-term fix that leaves working families staring down a health care crisis, and simply kicking the can down the road is not good enough. Families are already struggling with rising prices on everything from groceries to housing. I will keep working in the Senate to bring costs down and relieve the pressure on working families who are already paying more because of President Trump’s policies that are driving prices up instead of lowering them.” 

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Washington – Today, U.S. Senators Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Thom Tillis (R-NC), and Mark Warner (D-VA) reintroduced the Telehealth Response for E-prescribing Addiction Therapy Services (TREATS) Act. This bipartisan legislation addresses regulatory hurdles to accessing telehealth services for opioid use disorder by making permanent the resources that were made available during the Covid-19 pandemic.

“Telehealth has become an essential part of patient care, helping providers reach people where they are, especially in rural and underserved communities in Virginia and across the country,” said Sen. Warner. “For many, it’s been a literal lifesaver. But the current flexibilities are temporary, and this bipartisan bill would make sure patients can continue accessing the telehealth treatment and resources they rely on.”

“Over 80 percent of our communities are off the road system in Alaska, which often leaves people to fly hundreds of miles to receive care,” said Sen. Murkowski. “Expanded access to telehealth services has proven to be critical in meeting people in recovery where they are. This legislation makes permanent patients’ access to these services regardless of where they call home.”

“The opioid epidemic has taken a heartbreaking toll on families in Rhode Island and across the country,” said Sen. Whitehouse. “There is a bipartisan commitment in Congress to supporting people who are on the long, noble road of recovery by preserving lifesaving recovery support from the comfort and privacy of home.”

“The opioid epidemic is one of the most pressing public health emergencies of our time,” said Sen. Tillis. “During the pandemic, temporary flexibilities allowed life-saving opioid use disorder (OUD) treatments, such as buprenorphine, to be prescribed via telehealth. This bipartisan legislation will permanently allow health care providers to prescribe OUD treatments via telehealth as appropriate, and result in expanded access to treatments that are proven to be effective in treating substance use disorders. As the United States continues to experience an unacceptable number of opioid overdose deaths, we must pursue policies that reduce barriers and increase access to care, and I'm proud to work with my colleagues on the TREATS Act, which does exactly that.”

Additional cosponsors include Sens. Tim Kaine (D-VA), Dan Sullivan (R-AK), Ben Ray Luján (D-NM), Catherine Cortez-Masto (D-NV), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), John Hickenlooper (D-CO), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), John Fetterman (D-PA), Mark Kelly (D-AZ), Ed Markey (D-MA), Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Peter Welch (D-VT), Cory Booker (D-NJ), and Michael Bennet (D-CO).

Background

In March 2020, early in the Public Health Emergency declared during the Covid-19 pandemic, the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) authorized healthcare providers to prescribe medication to treat opioid addiction via audio-only or audio-visual telehealth appointments. This expansion of coverage improved access to medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD), improved retention in care, and reduced risk of overdose. These expanded services are set to expire at the end of the year. This legislation seeks to codify access to these treatment options. 

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) released the following statement after the Virginia State Corporation Commission (SCC) began sending out notices for 2026 health insurance premium rates through the Virginia Affordable Care Act (ACA) marketplace:

“Throughout the day today, more and more Virginians will receive notices that their health care premiums will go up significantly next year because Republicans have refused to extend critical Affordable Care Act tax credits. Families are already facing higher financial stress due to the rising cost of groceries and other basic necessities, and there’s no reason Congress shouldn’t be able to fix the health care premium issue so millions of Americans can keep their health care. It’s up to President Trump and congressional Republicans to decide whether and when they want to engage and work with Democrats to extend the ACA tax credits and reopen the government.”

In August, the Virginia SCC released its proposed individual and small group health insurance premiums for plan year 2026, with most insurers proposing average increases of 20 percent or higher. Millions of Americans will see higher health care premiums when they go to sign up for health insurance through their state marketplace due to the expiration of the enhanced premium tax credits at the end of the year.

Warner and Kaine have advocated for the extension of enhanced premium tax credits under the ACA, but Republicans have refused to extend them to prevent health care costs from skyrocketing and keep millions of Americans from losing their health insurance. Democrats have asked Republicans for months to address the expiration of the ACA tax credits, and have proposed legislation to extend them and reopen the government. However, Republicans have blocked the bill’s passage. A new analysis shows that not extending the tax credits will have disastrous effects on Virginia.

With the government shut down, Warner and Kaine continue to push to reopen the government and protect Americans’ health care. Earlier this month, the senators sounded the alarm about the rise in monthly health care costs for Virginians under the ACA. The effort to prevent health care premiums from skyrocketing comes just months after President Donald Trump and congressional Republicans slashed Medicaid to offset the cost of billionaire tax cuts in the Republican budget law.

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WASHINGTON – U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) are issuing a warning today about an impending catastrophe for Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHC) – the community-based health care providers that deliver comprehensive primary and preventative health services to low-income families and those who are underserved and uninsured.

“Between the changes being brought on by the Big, Ugly Bill and the looming expiration of health care tax credits for Americans, there is a terrifying storm brewing for health care in the Commonwealth,” said the senators. “This could be the start of a vicious cycle where tens of thousands of Virginians lose coverage, leaving community-based health care providers in dire financial straits and with no choice but to serve fewer people, eliminate important health services, or shut operations entirely. We can’t afford to turn our backs on the health centers that prevent folks from falling through the cracks, and we can’t afford the widespread consequences this will have on health care costs and our economy.  Our Republican colleagues who supported tax cuts for billionaires should act to save the health care tax credits that make it possible for many Virginians to afford their health insurance.”

Thanks to the Big, Ugly Bill, 41,357 Virginians – 27 percent of the Commonwealth’s FQHC patients – are now at risk of losing their health care coverage. This shift is projected to cause an annual revenue loss of $21,381,559 for Virginia’s FQHCs. To make matters worse, if Republicans allow enhanced premium tax credits to expire, 25,533 Virginians – 23 percent of Virginia FQHC patients – will face a potential loss of coverage due to higher marketplace rates. This shift is projected to cause an additional annual revenue loss of $10,851,618 for FQHCs.

Altogether, Virginia’s health centers could face a combined projected annual loss of $32.2 million dollars – an unimaginable quantity for health providers that regularly operate on thin margins in order to care for Virginia’s most vulnerable populations.

Leaving FQHCs with a multi-million-dollar shortfall could force these providers to scale back the number of community members served or the kind of health services offered. Under either of these reductions, more Virginians could find themselves forgoing preventative care and eventually ending up in the emergency room – a phenomenon that will increase the rate of uncompensated care and eventually skyrocket costs even for people with health insurance.

Despite holding majorities in both chambers of Congress and the White House, Republicans failed to secure a funding deal to keep the government open ahead of the September 30 deadline. With the government now closed, Sens. Warner and Kaine continue to push to reopen the government and prevent the impending expiration of essential health care tax credits that many American families rely on. The effort to prevent health care premiums from skyrocketing comes just months after Donald Trump and congressional Republicans slashed Medicaid in order to offset the cost of billionaire tax cuts in the Republican budget law.

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WASHINGTON – U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) are sounding the alarm after reviewing newly-released numbers from the Commonwealth’s health insurance marketplace. These numbers paint a grim picture for Virginia, forecasting a dramatic surge in monthly insurance payments for individuals, couples, and families across a wide variety of income levels.   

“It is baffling that anyone could look at these numbers and decide that the best course of action is to continue sitting idly by, but that’s the choice that Republicans in Congress continue to make every single passing day during this government shutdown,” said the senators. “Democrats have put forth legislation that would not only reopen the government, but also preserve the health care tax credits that make it possible for many Virginians to afford their health insurance. Unfortunately, these estimates are only just starting to scratch the surface. Virginians deserve to know exactly how much more they’ll have to pay for the same health insurance they currently receive, and they should know as soon as possible. If Republicans can get behind tax cuts for billionaires, they should find a way to support modest health care tax credits for working families before open enrollment starts on November 1.”

As forecasted by Virginia’s Health Benefit Exchange…  

• A young family of four with an income of $96,450 to $160,000 could see their monthly premiums increase by as much as $349 per month,bringing their new total monthly premium to $1,522.96 per month.
• A 60-year-old couple with an income of $63,450 to $105,750 could see their monthly premiums increase by as much as $1,076 per month, bringing their new total monthly premium to $2,023.16 per month.
• A 45-year-old person with an income of $31,300 to $62,600 could see their monthly premiums increase by as much as $155 per month,bringing their new total monthly premium to $372.20 per month.

Despite holding majorities in both chambers of Congress and the White House, Republicans failed to secure a funding deal to keep the government open ahead of the September 30 deadline. With the government now closed, Sens. Warner and Kaine continue to push to reopen the government and prevent the impending expiration of essential health care tax credits that many American families rely on. The effort to prevent health care premiums from skyrocketing comes just months after Donald Trump and Congressional Republicans slashed Medicaid in order to offset the cost of billionaire tax cuts in the Republican budget law. 

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WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) issued the following statement after Republicans voted down legislation to fund the government, protect Virginians’ access to health care, and prohibit the Trump administration from illegally withholding funding appropriated by Congress:

“While Republicans may have acted unilaterally when they passed their Big Ugly Bill, keeping the government open is not something they’re going to be able to do on their own. Today, we voted in favor of a funding bill that would not only keep the government from shutting down in 12 days, but would also prevent the expiration of essential health care tax credits and reverse the Trump cuts to Medicaid and hospitals that will raise health care costs for all Americans. Unfortunately, the same Republicans who had no problem extending billionaire tax cuts earlier this year are now drawing the line at tax credits that keep health insurance affordable for so many Americans. Republicans have control of the House, Senate, and White House – it’s time for them to act like it and come to the negotiating table to prevent a shutdown and protect Americans’ health care.” 

WASHINGTON – U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) and Susan Collins (R-ME) reintroduced bipartisan legislation to expand access to critical advance care planning (ACP) services in Medicare that allow people, especially those with serious illness, to plan for their care and have their choices honored when it matters most. The Improving Access to Advance Care Planning Act would help more Americans access critical ACP services by allowing social workers to provide ACP services, removing beneficiary cost-sharing, and promoting increased education for providers on current ACP codes and improved reporting on barriers to providing ACP services and billing the corresponding codes.

“Decisions about care planning are some of the hardest for a family to make, but they’re also some of the most important. One of my biggest regrets was not having early conversations about care planning with my own mom, who suffered from Alzheimer’s for 11 years and was unable to speak for nine of those years,” said Sen. Warner. “I’m proud to introduce this bill because folks with a serious illness deserve to have a say over what their care should look like, and families deserve the certainty of knowing they are honoring their loved ones’ wishes.”

“Unfortunately, most patients do not routinely make advance plans for their care in the event that they are diagnosed with a serious or life-threatening illness.  This can be a difficult topic for many families to address, but advance care planning has been shown to increase satisfaction and improve health outcomes because people with advance directives are more likely to get the care they want, in the setting they prefer, and avoid the care that they don’t want,” said Sen. Collins. “This bipartisan bill would help provide an opportunity for patients to have a structured discussion with their health care providers about their goals and treatment options so that they can make their choices known and develop a plan of care in consultation with their loved ones.”

Specifically, the Improving Access to Advance Care Planning Act would:

1. Codify and expand Medicare coverage of ACP services – a longtime priority for Sen. Warner, who first introduced legislation to improve planning options for patients in 2015. This bill would expand eligible providers that can bill for such services to include clinical social workers with experience in care planning.
2. Remove beneficiary coinsurance and deductibles for ACP visits – including those that happen outside of an annual Medicare Annual Wellness Visit – to ensure that beneficiaries are not deterred from seeking these services, and providers are not deterred from offering them.
3. Educate heath care providers by directing CMS to conduct an education campaign on the ACP billing options and report to Congress on such activities
4. Study areas of improvement – by directing the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC) to study and report to Congress on (A) barriers to providing and receiving ACP services despite the ability to bill for them, and (B) barriers to billing the code itself.
5. Make permanent the ability to provide advance care planning services over telehealth in Medicare.
6. Align the definitions of advance care planning used in the statute to ensure consistency of this service.

Bill text is available here.

This legislation has the support of a number of patient and family advocacy organizations, including the Coalition to Transform Advanced Care (C-TAC), LeadingAge, the National Partnership for Healthcare and Hospice Innovation (NPHI), the National Alliance for Care at Home, the Center for Medicare Advocacy, the Consumer Coalition for Quality Health Care, MyDirectives, and the Smarter Health Care Coalition.

“Those of us working to improve care for individuals impacted by serious illness have known that high copays for Advance Care Planning were a barrier to patient-centered care. Thanks to Senators Warner (D-VA) and Collins (R-ME), who are passionate about these issues, we will be able to help remedy this technicality in the law and increase access to critical conversations between patients and their clinicians by eliminating copays and including social workers who will be eligible to be reimbursed for these services as part of the care team. A sincere thank you the Senators and their staff for continuing to be the voice of the patient and family,” said Jon Broyles, CEO, The Coalition to Transform Advanced Care (C-TAC).

"Planning ahead can bring clarity to the often nuanced and complicated issues that sometimes arrive in critical healthcare situations or at end-of-life. Improving access to cost-effective care planning that all Americans need, as this bill will do, will bring peace of mind to millions of older adults and their family members,” said Katie Smith Sloan, president and CEO, LeadingAge, the association of nonprofit providers of aging services. “What’s more, because our nonprofit and mission-driven members deliver care across all aging services settings, LeadingAge recognizes the importance of acknowledging the preferences and beliefs of people and their families to deliver quality care. We hope greater access to these conversations will improve serious illness care through the end-of-life and help providers meet unique patient needs.”

“NPHI is proud to stand with the hospice and palliative care community in strong support of the Improving Access to Advance Care Planning (ACP) Act.” Said Carole Fisher, President of NPHI. “As a national organization comprised of nearly 120 community-based advanced illness care providers, NPHI and its members understand the importance of ensuring all Medicare beneficiaries have genuine access to counseling regarding their choices and preferences at the end-of-life. As we know, hospice services are often dramatically underutilized due in part to late referrals and a lack of prior planning. Engaging in ACP conversations earlier in the disease progression can improve quality of life for beneficiaries and lessen the burden on caregivers. We look forward to working with Congress and our partners to pass this important legislation,” said Carole Fisher President, National Partnership for Healthcare and Hospice Innovation (NPHI). 

“The National Alliance for Care at Home applauds Senators Warner (D-VA) and Susan Collins (R-ME) for reintroducing the Improving Access to Advanced Care Planning Act. As a physician who has worked directly with patients both planning for and facing serious illness, I know firsthand the role that advance care planning (ACP) plays in delivering compassionate, patient-centered support that ensures individuals’ values and preferences guide their care,” said Dr. Steve Landers, CEO of the National Alliance for Care at Home. “By making it easier for providers to engage in ACP with patients, this bill will help strengthen our healthcare system, ensuring individuals get the right care at the right time and often delivering better outcomes for less cost."

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BROADCAST-QUALITY VIDEO  IS AVAILABLE HERE

WASHINGTON – At a hearing of the Senate Finance Committee, U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) pressed Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on his failure to acknowledge basic facts about the COVID-19 pandemic and raised urgent concerns about the future of community health centers and rural hospitals following the massive Medicaid cuts in President Trump’s Big Ugly Bill.

Warner expressed disbelief that Kennedy, after eight months in office, could not answer how many Americans died from COVID or whether vaccines saved lives.

“Mr. Chairman, the Secretary of Health and Human Services doesn’t know how many Americans died from COVID. He doesn’t know if the vaccine helped prevent any deaths. And you are sitting as Secretary of Health and Human Services? How can you be that ignorant?” Warner said.

Warner pressed Kennedy to support solutions to improve rural health care, including his legislation to raise the Medicare area wage index to better reimburse rural hospitals, and a bill with Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR) to require safeguards before hospitals can eliminate obstetric services. Kennedy ultimately pledged to work with Warner on both proposals.

“Americans want to get healthier, but they also don’t want their basic health care removed,” Warner concluded, inviting Kennedy to join him at a Virginia community health center to hear directly from patients and providers.

A transcript of their exchange follows.

WARNER: Mr. Secretary, I agree with a lot of my colleagues' statements. I actually had hoped, even though I didn't support you – I thought taking on chronic illnesses was going to be important.

I've got two kids, as we discussed when you met, that have chronic illnesses. I'm not sure that the focus on red dye and seed oils are going to fully solve that problem.

KENNEDY: Of course they won't.

WARNER: I would say this: that seems where your emphasis is.

I want to go back to just, again, some basic facts. Do you accept the fact that a million Americans died from COVID?

KENNEDY: I don't know how many died.

WARNER: You're the Secretary of Health and Human Services. You don't have any idea how many Americans died from COVID?

KENNEDY: I don't think anybody knows that because the… there was so much data chaos coming out of the CDC and there were so many –

WARNER: You don't know the answer of how many Americans died from COVID?

This is the Secretary of Health and Human Services.

Do you think the vaccine did anything to prevent additional deaths?

KENNEDY: Again, I would like to see the data and talk about the data. I’m not fully –

WARNER: You've had this job for eight months and you don't know the data about whether the vaccine saved lives?

KENNEDY: And that's the problem is that they didn't have the data. The data by the Biden administration is absolutely dismal. It was chaos.

WARNER: Who is politicizing? You're saying the Biden administration politicized all the data? Go back to what Senator Cantwell just said, go to the Trump Surgeon General –

KENNEDY: They fired Dr. Grubb, they fired all the people who questioned the orthodoxy. They fired Dr. Gruber, Dr. Krause.

WARNER: Mr. Chairman, the Secretary of Health and Human Services doesn't know how many Americans died from COVID. He doesn't know if the vaccine helped prevent any deaths.

And you are sitting as Secretary of Health and Human Services? How can you be that ignorant?

Like, you know, I remember when we went to the hearing with you, I asked you about community health centers. You didn't know what role they play.

I've been visiting community health –  I'm glad you've got to one, I think in April.

I tell you what. What I hear from community health centers, they are terrified, with all due respect to my good friend the chairman, of the Big Awful Bill, because they are going to lose health care across the board. They already live in food deserts. They can't get to a nutritionist because Medicaid doesn't do enough reimbursement.

If you're going to want Americans to get healthier, shouldn't they have access to nutritionists? Should they have access to good science about healthy food?

KENNEDY: Absolutely.

WARNER: Well, then how is that going to happen with the Medicaid cuts that are taking place?

KENNEDY: There are no cuts to Medicaid.

WARNER: Sir, that is an absurd –  there is not a single –  to my Republican colleagues, there's not a single study that does not – and I can tell you, I was in Franklin, Virginia a couple of days ago. The rural hospital is going to close. The hospital system was so afraid they wouldn't even let me have the meeting there, but that rural hospital is going to close.

And they are looking for where those folks are going to go. I mean, you're supposed to be doing health care policy, not being the doctor in residence for all of America. I hope – I can only say, I'm still going to trust my doctor rather than your health advice. And, obviously, Tom Cotton's going to –  who knows who he's going to trust?

But let me – let me go back to policy for a couple – so maybe we can lower the temperature a little bit. I had a bipartisan bill that would be a systemic fix, not a vote-buying mechanism, when Medicaid's getting cut, than what was put in on the rural hospitals. One of the things we could do, Mr. Secretary, is make sure that the folks who work in rural hospitals get an 80 percent reimbursement of what folks get in more urban centers. Would you support that legislation?

KENNEDY: The – are you talking about the area wage index?

WARNER: I'm talking about the area wage index and moving that up to 80 percent so there is, actually, the ability to get rural providers...

KENNEDY: Yeah. President Trump supports that, and we support that.

WARNER: Do you support – do you support – good. So you will work with us to get that passed?

KENNEDY: Yes, Senator. I – I (inaudible)...

WARNER: That will increase costs for both Medicaid and Medicare. So you are committed to that? I appreciate that.

What about, Senator Wyden and I have got a bill – because across America...

KENNEDY: What about what?

WARNER: ... hospitals are shutting down on their ob/gyn services. Try to have a baby – I don't know about all of my other friends' states, but in Southside Virginia, you can't find a hospital. Will you work with us to make sure that before ob/gyn services are taken out of a rural hospital, there has to be a process and procedure?

KENNEDY: I'm happy to work with you on that, Senator, meet with you and – and see if we can work with you on it. I don't know exactly what the issue is.

WARNER: Well, hold it, again. A secretary of health and human services who has said he doesn't know how many people died from COVID, doesn't know if the vaccine saved lives, doesn't understand the issue of ob/gyn...

KENNEDY: I – I didn't know if it saved a mil – (inaudible) if it saved a million lives.

WARNER: Ob/gyn doctors are fleeing rural America because they can't afford it. And with the cuts that are coming up, it's going to be exponentially worse. I would invite you, sir, to come with me to a community health center in Virginia and hear what is on people's minds.

They want to get healthier? Absolutely. Count me in. But they also don't want their basic healthcare removed.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

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WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) issued the following statement after the Virginia State Corporation Commission (SCC) reported that premiums for Affordable Care Act Marketplace coverage are projected to rise by an average of 20.5% next year – a spike driven largely by the expiration of enhanced premium tax credits that have helped make health care more affordable for hundreds of thousands of Virginians:

“The news that Virginians who rely on health care coverage from the marketplace could see their premiums jump by more than 20% next year is deeply troubling. This entirely-avoidable increase is being driven by the expiration of enhanced premium tax credits that have helped hundreds of thousands of Virginians afford quality health care. While President Trump and congressional Republicans bent over backward to extend tax cuts for the uber-wealthy as part of their tax and budget bill, they chose not to renew these critical health care credits that have saved the average Virginian nearly $90 a month. Alongside our Democratic colleagues, we even forced a vote on an amendment to the bill to extend the credits, and Republicans voted it down.

“We know what’s at stake when health care becomes unaffordable: families go without coverage, people skip doctor visits and prescriptions, and small health problems turn into costly emergencies. That’s not only bad for public health, it drives up costs for everyone. We remain committed to restoring these critical tax credits and bringing down health care costs, and we call on our colleagues in Congress to put politics aside and act now to prevent this needless premium spike from hurting Virginia families.”

The enhanced premium tax credits were first enacted during the COVID-19 pandemic to lower monthly Affordable Care Act marketplace premiums for American families. President Trump’s tax and budget bill, passed by the Republican majority in Congress over Warner and Kaine’s strong opposition, did not extend these credits. As a result, Virginians who purchase coverage on the Virginia marketplace will see the largest share of next year’s premium hikes directly tied to the loss of these credits. Without action, more than a third of the nearly 415,000 Virginians who currently rely on this coverage could be priced out of their health insurance, according to the SCC Bureau of Insurance.

Last month, Warner and Kaine introduced legislation to repeal the health care provisions in President Trump and Republicans’ ‘Big, Ugly Bill’ and permanently extend the Affordable Care Act’s enhanced tax credits.

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WASHINGTON — U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) and John Thune (R-SD) today reintroduced the Equitable Community Access to Pharmacist Services (ECAPS) Act, bipartisan legislation that would ensure seniors can continue to access important clinical services from their pharmacist. The bill would allow Medicare to reimburse for certain pharmacist-administered tests, treatments, and vaccinations for illnesses like influenza, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), and strep throat, in accordance with state scope-of-practice laws. 

“Seniors across South Dakota rely on the care and support they receive from their community pharmacists,” said Thune. “I am proud to lead this commonsense legislation that would allow these services and other important treatments to remain a reliable option for seniors, particularly in our rural communities.” 

“During the pandemic, we saw firsthand how pharmacists stepped up to meet urgent health care needs, especially in underserved and rural communities,” said Warner. “This bill builds on that progress by making sure seniors can continue to count on their local pharmacists for routine tests, vaccines, and treatments for common illnesses like flu and COVID. This is a practical step to improve access to care, reduce the burden on hospitals and clinics, and make our health system work better for seniors.”

“In rural states like South Dakota, pharmacists are often the most accessible – and sometimes the only – health care provider available to patients,” said Amanda Bacon, executive director of the South Dakota Pharmacists Association. “The ECAPS Act recognizes the vital role pharmacists play on the front lines of care, especially in areas where access is limited by geography, provider shortages, or both. The South Dakota Pharmacists Association strongly supports this legislation and the critical role it plays in strengthening our rural health care system. The ECAPS Act helps keep care close to home – and in South Dakota, that makes all the difference.” 

“We applaud Senator Warner and Senator Thune for championing the reintroduction of the ECAPS Act,” said Jamie Fisher, executive director of the Virginia Pharmacy Association. “This bipartisan legislation recognizes what patients across Virginia already know – pharmacists are vital, trusted, and accessible members of the health care team. By ensuring Medicare beneficiaries can receive essential services like flu, COVID-19, RSV, and strep testing and treatment from their local pharmacist, the ECAPS Act will improve health outcomes, particularly in rural and underserved communities where access to care is often limited. We strongly support this effort to expand access and equity in health care.” 

“The Future of Pharmacy Care Coalition commends Senate Majority Leader John Thune and Senator Mark Warner for championing the ECAPS Act to ensure seniors, including those living in rural areas and vulnerable communities, can turn to their local pharmacists for testing and treatment services that can protect them from certain common respiratory conditions,” said the Future of Pharmacy Care Coalition. “Congress must move with urgency to provide seniors with Medicare coverage in states where pharmacists can offer testing and treatment services for conditions that, although common, can quickly become life-threatening if not properly managed.”

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