Latest Releases
U.S. Senators Tina Smith, Cassidy, Cardin, Thune Reintroduce Bill to Remove Barriers to Telemental Health Care
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-MN) joined her colleagues Senators Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA), John Thune (R-SD) and Ben Cardin (D-MD) to reintroduce the bipartisan Telemental Health Care Access Act to remove barriers to telemental health services for Medicare beneficiaries. Specifically, the bill removes the requirement that Medicare beneficiaries be seen in person within six months of being treated for mental health services through telehealth. In 2020, Congress permanently expanded access for Medicare patients to be treated virtually for mental health services. Unfortunately, it also included an arbitrary requirement that would require the patient to be seen in-person before they could receive telemental services. The Telemental Health Care Access Act eliminates this in-person requirement so that patients can directly access mental health services via telehealth. “Telehealth has proved to be an important lifeline and tool to close some of the most significant gaps in patients’ access to health care services,” said Senator Smith. “Especially for Minnesotans in small towns and rural places suffering from mental health challenges, long commutes to the nearest provider can mean virtual care is the only feasible option. This bill is an important step in making it easier for mental health patients on Medicare to ask for help and get the care they need, without having to jump through administrative hoops.” “Since the pandemic, we have seen how telehealth expanded health care access for those with substance use disorders, physical ailments, and mental health conditions. It has been an important lifeline for rural communities,” said Dr. Cassidy. “This bill removes barriers to allow Medicare patients to
U.S. Senator Tina Smith’s Statement on USPS Inspector General’s Troubling Report on St. Paul and South Metro Mail Service
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] – Today, U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-Minn.) released the following statement in response to the USPS Inspector General’s report that found glaring issues at the St. Paul Processing and Distribution Center and post offices in Eagan, New Brighton and Apple Valley: “The Postal Service Inspector General’s audit reports on St. Paul and south Metro mail service are alarming and confirm what we’ve been hearing from constituents. Delayed mail and failures to report it, package delivery issues, and systemic understaffing are just the beginning. Minnesotans have been raising the alarm that mail service isn’t as reliable as it needs to be, but the Postal Service continues to act like everything is working as it should. This report confirms the reports of hundreds of Minnesotans that there are deep and systemic issues in the state. In December, I asked the Inspector General to expand the scope of their investigations in Minnesota so we can get to the bottom of these issues, and I am grateful that they will do so in the coming months,” said Senator Smith. Senator Smith has frequently raised the alarm on persistent mail delays and reports of hazardous work conditions for mail carriers, pressing Postmaster Louis DeJoy for answers on how USPS plans to remedy these issues. Most recently, Senator Smith called on the Inspector General to conduct a full audit of the Minnesota-North Dakota District, which the Inspector General’s office announced they will soon begin. The full results of the Inspector General’s audit can be
U.S. Senators Smith, Durbin, Cramer Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Speed Up Availability of Lower-Cost Insulin
WASHINGTON, D.C. [07/11/19]—Today, U.S. Senators Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), and Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.) introduced new bipartisan legislation that would speed up approvals of lower-cost insulin products in order to help people with diabetes access the life-saving medication they need to survive. Approximately 7.5 million Americans with diabetes rely on insulin every day to survive, yet the drug has experienced a price increase of more than 600 percent over the past two decades in the United States. Sens. Smith, Durbin, and Cramer’s legislation—called the Affordable Insulin Approvals Now Act—would help lower the price of insulin by promoting competition and bringing
U.S. Senators Klobuchar and Smith Urge Minnesota Producers Impacted by Flooding to Take Advantage of Crop Reporting Deadline Extension
WASHINGTON, D.C. [07/11/19]—Today, U.S. Sens. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) and Tina Smith (D-Minn.) are urging Minnesota farmers hit by flooding to report spring-seeded crops by the extended deadline of July 22. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) recently extended the deadline for states impacted by recent flooding and heavy moisture. “Our farmers are the backbone of our economy, and we must do everything we can to help them during severe weather challenges like those they’ve experienced this spring,” Klobuchar said. “Extending the deadline to report crop acreage offers farmers more flexibility on delayed plantings and other fieldwork while ensuring they still qualify
U.S. Senator Tina Smith, Democratic Colleagues Request Feedback from American Indian, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian Leaders on the Effects of Climate Change on Native Communities
WASHINGTON, D.C. [07/10/19]—Today, U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-Minn.) and a group of her Democratic Senate colleagues encouraged input from American Indian, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian community leaders on the effects of climate change on their communities. Sen. Smith—along with Sens. Tom Udall (D-N.M.), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), and eleven Democratic colleagues—understands the importance of fostering a dialogue on potential solutions and responses to this urgent threat that disproportionally impacts Native communities. “As the National Climate Assessment recently confirmed, climate change is having a disproportionate impact on [Native] communities. But we would like to hear directly from you, leaders who are key voices for your communities, about how climate change threatens
U.S. Senator Tina Smith Pushes For Public Companies to Disclose Risks from Climate Change
WASHINGTON, D.C. [07/10/19]—Today, U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-Minn.) announced that she is pushing for new requirements for publicly traded companies to disclose critical information about how much they are contributing to climate change, including the extent of their greenhouse gas emissions and their exposure to climate risk. Originally introduced in 2018, the Climate Risk Disclosure Act will help investors appropriately assess climate-related risks, accelerate the transition from fossil fuels to cleaner and more efficient energy sources, and reduce the risks of both environmental and financial catastrophe. It builds on the work of former Vice President Al Gore, who has warned that ignoring the risks of climate change is producing a “carbon bubble” that will have
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