119-hr4206

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4206 Introduced in House

    (IH) ]

<DOC>

119th CONGRESS
 1st Session
 H. R. 4206

 To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to expand access to 
 telehealth services, and for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

 June 26, 2025

 Mr. Thompson of California (for himself, Mr. Schweikert, Ms. Matsui, 
and Mr. Balderson) introduced the following bill; which was referred to 
the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee 
 on Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the 
 Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall 
 within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

 A BILL

 To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to expand access to 
 telehealth services, and for other purposes.

 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS.

    (a) Short Title.--This Act may be cited as the ``Creating 
Opportunities Now for Necessary and Effective Care Technologies

    (CONNECT) for Health Act of 2025'' or the ``CONNECT for Health Act of 
2025''.

    (b) Table of Contents.--The table of contents of this Act is as 
follows:

Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents.

Sec. 2. Findings and sense of Congress.
 TITLE I--REMOVING BARRIERS TO TELEHEALTH COVERAGE

Sec. 101. Removing geographic requirements for telehealth services.

Sec. 102. Expanding originating sites.

Sec. 103. Expanding authority for practitioners eligible to furnish 
 telehealth services.

Sec. 104. Federally qualified health centers and rural health clinics.

Sec. 105. Native American health facilities.

Sec. 106. Repeal of six-month in-person visit requirement for 
 telemental health services.

Sec. 107. Waiver of telehealth requirements during public health 
 emergencies.

Sec. 108. Use of telehealth in recertification for hospice care.
 TITLE II--PROGRAM INTEGRITY

Sec. 201. Clarification for fraud and abuse laws regarding technologies 
 provided to beneficiaries.

Sec. 202. Additional resources for telehealth oversight.

Sec. 203. Addressing significant outlier billing patterns for 
 telehealth services.
TITLE III--BENEFICIARY AND PROVIDER SUPPORTS, QUALITY OF CARE, AND DATA

Sec. 301. Beneficiary engagement on telehealth.

Sec. 302. Provider supports on telehealth.

Sec. 303. Ensuring the inclusion of telehealth in measuring quality of 
 care.

Sec. 304. Posting of information on telehealth services.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND SENSE OF CONGRESS.

    (a) 

=== Findings ===
-Congress finds the following:

    (1) The use of technology in health care and coverage of 
 telehealth services are rapidly evolving.

    (2) Research has found that telehealth services can expand 
 access to care, improve the quality of care, and reduce 
 spending.

    (3) In 2023, 90 percent of patients receiving telehealth 
 services were satisfied with their experiences.

    (4) Health care workforce shortages are a significant 
 problem in many areas and for many types of health care 
 clinicians.

    (5) Telehealth increases access to care in areas with 
 workforce shortages and for individuals who live far away from 
 health care facilities, have limited mobility or 
 transportation, or have other barriers to accessing care.

    (6) The use of health technologies can strengthen the 
 expertise of the health care workforce, including by connecting 
 clinicians to specialty consultations.

    (7) Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, the utilization of 
 telehealth services in the Medicare program under title XVIII 
 of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395 et seq.) was low, 
 accounting for 0.1 percent of Medicare Part B visits in 2019.

    (8) Telehealth now represents a critical component of care 
 delivery. In 2023, 24 percent of Medicare fee-for-service 
 beneficiaries received a telehealth service.

    (9) Long-term certainty about coverage of telehealth 
 services under the Medicare program is necessary to fully 
 realize the benefits of telehealth.

    (b) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of Congress that--

    (1) health care providers can furnish safe, effective, and 
 high-quality health care services through telehealth;

    (2) the Secretary of Health and Human Services should 
 promptly take all necessary measures to ensure that providers 
 and beneficiaries can continue to furnish and utilize, 
 respectively, telehealth services in the Medicare program, and 
 support recent modifications to the definition of ``interactive 
 telecommunications system'' in regulations and program 
 instruction under the Medicare program to ensure that providers 
 can utilize all appropriate means and types of technology, 
 including audio-visual, audio-only, and other types of 
 technologies, to furnish telehealth services; and

    (3) barriers to the use of telehealth should be removed.

 TITLE I--REMOVING BARRIERS TO TELEHEALTH COVERAGE

SEC. 101. REMOVING GEOGRAPHIC REQUIREMENTS FOR TELEHEALTH SERVICES.

 

Section 1834
            (m) (4)
            (C) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 
1395m
            (m) (4)
            (C) ) is amended--

    (1) in clause
            (i) , in the matter preceding subclause
            (I) , 
 by striking ``clause
            (iii) '' and inserting ``clauses
            (iii) and
            (iv) ''; and

    (2) by adding at the end the following new clause:
 ``
            (iv) Removal of geographic 
 requirements.--The geographic requirements 
 described in clause
            (i) shall not apply with 
 respect to telehealth services furnished on or 
 after October 1, 2025.''.

SEC. 102. EXPANDING ORIGINATING SITES.

    (a) In General.--

Section 1834
            (m) (4)
            (C) 
            (iii) of the Social Security 
Act (42 U.S.C. 1395m
            (m) (4)
            (C) 
            (iii) ) is amended by striking ``In the 
case that'' and all that follows through ``September 30, 2025,'' and 
inserting ``Beginning on the date of the enactment of the CONNECT for 
Health Act of 2025,''.

    (b) Conforming Amendments.--

Section 1834
            (m) of the Social Security 
Act (42 U.S.C. 1395m
            (m) ) is amended--

    (1) in paragraph

    (2)
        (B)
            (iii) , by striking ``In the case 
 that'' and all that follows through ``September 30, 2025,'' and 
 inserting ``With respect to telehealth services furnished on or 
 after the date of the enactment of the CONNECT for Health Act 
 of 2025,''; and

    (2) in paragraph

    (4)
            (C) 
            (ii) 
            (X) , by striking ``, but only 
 for purposes of 

section 1881

    (b)

    (3)
        (B) or telehealth services 
 described in paragraph

    (7) ''.

SEC. 103. EXPANDING AUTHORITY FOR PRACTITIONERS ELIGIBLE TO FURNISH 
 TELEHEALTH SERVICES.

 

Section 1834
            (m) (4)
        (E) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 
1395m
            (m) (4)
        (E) ) is amended--

    (1) by striking ``Practitioner.--The term'' and inserting 
 ``Practitioner.--
 ``
            (i) In general.--Subject to clause
            (ii) , 
 the term''; and

    (2) by adding at the end the following new clause:
 ``
            (ii) Expanding practitioners eligible to 
 furnish telehealth services.--
 ``
            (I) In general.--Notwithstanding 
 any other provision of this subsection, 
 in the case of telehealth services 
 furnished on or after October 1, 2025, 
 the Secretary may waive any limitation 
 on the types of practitioners who are 
 eligible to furnish telehealth services 
 if the Secretary determines that such 
 waiver is clinically appropriate.
 ``
            (II) Implementation.--In 
 implementing a waiver under this 
 clause, the Secretary may establish 
 requirements, as appropriate, for 
 practitioners under such waiver, 
 including with respect to beneficiary 
 and program integrity protections.
 ``
            (III) Public comment.--The 
 Secretary shall establish a process by 
 which stakeholders may (on at least an 
 annual basis) provide public comment on 
 such waiver under this clause.
 ``
            (IV) Periodic review.--The 
 Secretary shall periodically, but not 
 more frequently than every 3 years, 
 reassess the waiver under this clause 
 to determine whether such waiver 
 continues to be clinically appropriate. 
 The Secretary shall terminate any 
 waiver that the Secretary determines is 
 no longer clinically appropriate.''.

SEC. 104. FEDERALLY QUALIFIED HEALTH CENTERS AND RURAL HEALTH CLINICS.

 

Section 1834
            (m) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395m
            (m) ) is 
amended--

    (1) in paragraph

    (4)
            (C) 
            (i) , in the matter preceding 
 subclause
            (I) , by striking ``and

    (7) '' and inserting ``

    (7) , and

    (8) ''; and

    (2) in paragraph

    (8) --
        (A) in subparagraph
        (A) --
            (i) in the matter preceding clause
            (i) , by 
 striking ``During'' and all that follows 
 through ``September 30, 2025'' and inserting 
 the following: ``Beginning on the first day of 
 the emergency period described in 

section 1135

    (g)

    (1)
        (B) '';
            (ii) in clause
            (ii) , by striking ``and'' at 
 the end;
            (iii) by redesignating clause
            (iii) as 
 clause
            (iv) ; and
            (iv) by inserting after clause
            (ii) the 
 following new clause:
 ``
            (iii) the geographic requirements 
 described in paragraph

    (4)
            (C) 
            (i) shall not 
 apply with respect to such a telehealth 
 service; and'';
        (B) in subparagraph
        (B) --
            (i) in the subparagraph heading, by 
 inserting ``during initial period'' after 
 ``rule'';
            (ii) in the first sentence of clause
            (i) by 
 striking ``during the periods for which 
 subparagraph
        (A) applies'' and inserting 
 ``during the period beginning on the first day 
 of the emergency period and ending on September 
 30, 2025''; and
            (iii) in clause
            (ii) , by striking ``Costs 
 associated'' and inserting ``During the period 
 for which clause
            (i) applies, costs 
 associated''; and
            (C) by adding at the end the following new 
 subparagraph:
 ``
            (C) Payment after initial period.--
 ``
            (i) In general.--A telehealth service 
 furnished by a Federally qualified health 
 center or a rural health clinic to an 
 individual pursuant to this paragraph on or 
 after October 1, 2025, shall be deemed to be so 
 furnished to such individual as an outpatient 
 of such clinic or facility (as applicable) for 
 purposes of paragraph

    (1) or

    (3) , respectively, 
 of 

section 1861

    (aa) and payable as a Federally 
 qualified health center service or rural health 
 clinic service (as applicable) under the 
 prospective payment system established under 
 

section 1834

    (o) or under 

section 1833

    (a)

    (3) , 
 respectively.
 ``
            (ii) Treatment of costs for fqhc pps 
 calculations and rhc air calculations.--Costs 
 associated with the furnishing of telehealth 
 services by a Federally qualified health center 
 or rural health clinic serving as a distant 
 site pursuant to this paragraph on or after 
 October 1, 2025, shall be considered allowable 
 costs for purposes of the prospective payment 
 system established under 

section 1834

    (o) and 
 any payment methodologies developed under 
 

section 1833

    (a)

    (3) , as applicable.''.

SEC. 105. NATIVE AMERICAN HEALTH FACILITIES.

    (a) In General.--

Section 1834
            (m) (4)
            (C) of the Social Security Act 
(42 U.S.C. 1395m
            (m) (4)
            (C) ), as amended by 

section 101, is amended--

    (1) in clause
            (i) , by striking ``and
            (iv) '' and inserting 
 ``,
            (iv) , and
            (v) ''; and

    (2) by adding at the end the following new clause:
 ``
            (v) Native american health facilities.--
 With respect to telehealth services furnished 
 on or after January 1, 2026, the originating 
 site requirements described in clauses
            (i) and
            (ii) shall not apply with respect to a facility 
 of the Indian Health Service, whether operated 
 by such Service, or by an Indian tribe (as that 
 term is defined in 

section 4 of the Indian 
 Health Care Improvement Act (25 U.S.C. 1603)) 
 or a tribal organization (as that term is 
 defined in 

section 4 of the Indian Self-
 Determination and Education Assistance Act (25 
 U.S.C. 5304)), or a facility of the Native 
 Hawaiian health care systems authorized under 
 the Native Hawaiian Health Care Improvement Act 
 (42 U.S.C. 11701 et seq.).''.

    (b) No Originating Site Facility Fee for Certain Native American 
Facilities.--

Section 1834
            (m) (2)
        (B)
            (i) of the Social Security Act (42 
U.S.C. 1395m
            (m) (2)
        (B)
            (i) ) is amended, in the matter preceding subclause
            (I) , by inserting ``(other than an originating site that is only 
described in clause
            (v) of paragraph

    (4)
            (C) , and does not meet the 
requirement for an originating site under clauses
            (i) and
            (ii) of such 
paragraph)'' after ``the originating site''.

SEC. 106. REPEAL OF SIX-MONTH IN-PERSON VISIT REQUIREMENT FOR 
 TELEMENTAL HEALTH SERVICES.

    (a) In General.--

Section 1834
            (m) (7) of the Social Security Act (42 
U.S.C. 1395m
            (m) (7)
        (B) ) is amended--

    (1) in subparagraph
        (A) , by striking ``, subject to 
 subparagraph
        (B) ,'';

    (2) by striking ``
        (A) In general.--The geographic'' and 
 inserting ``The geographic''; and

    (3) by striking subparagraph
        (B) .

    (b) Rural Health Clinics.--

Section 1834

    (y)

    (2) of the Social 
Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395m

    (y)

    (2) ) is amended by striking ``prior to 
October 1, 2025''.
            (c) Federally Qualified Health Centers.--

Section 1834

    (o)

    (4)
        (B) of 
the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395m

    (o)

    (4)
        (B) ) is amended by 
striking ``prior to October 1, 2025''.

SEC. 107. WAIVER OF TELEHEALTH REQUIREMENTS DURING PUBLIC HEALTH 
 EMERGENCIES.

 

Section 1135

    (g)

    (1) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1320b-
5

    (g)

    (1) ) is amended--

    (1) in subparagraph
        (A) , in the matter preceding clause
            (i) , by striking ``subparagraph
        (B) '' and inserting 
 ``subparagraphs
        (B) and
            (C) ''; and

    (2) by adding at the end the following new subparagraph:
 ``
            (C) Exception for waiver of telehealth 
 requirements during public health emergencies.--For 
 purposes of subsection

    (b)

    (8) , in addition to the 
 emergency period described in subparagraph
        (B) , an 
 `emergency area' is a geographical area in which, and 
 an `emergency period' is the period during which, there 
 exists a public health emergency declared by the 
 Secretary pursuant to 

section 319 of the Public Health 
 Service Act on or after the date of enactment of this 
 subparagraph.''.

SEC. 108. USE OF TELEHEALTH IN RECERTIFICATION FOR HOSPICE CARE.

    (a) In General.--

Section 1814

    (a)

    (7)
            (D) 
            (i) 
            (II) of the Social 
Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395f

    (a)

    (7)
            (D) 
            (i) 
            (II) ) is amended by striking 
``during the emergency period'' and all that follows through 
``September 30, 2025'' and inserting the following: ``during and after 
the emergency period described in 

section 1135

    (g)

    (1)
        (B) ''.

    (b) GAO Report.--Not later than 3 years after the date of enactment 
of this Act, the Comptroller General of the United States shall submit 
to Congress a report evaluating the impact of 

section 1814

    (a)

    (7)
            (D) 
            (i) 
            (II) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 
1395f

    (a)

    (7)
            (D) 
            (i) 
            (II) ), as amended by subsection

    (a) , on--

    (1) the number and percentage of beneficiaries recertified 
 for the Medicare hospice benefit at 180 days and for subsequent 
 benefit periods, to the extent such data is available;

    (2) Federal oversight of the appropriateness for hospice 
 care of the patients recertified through the use of telehealth; 
 and

    (3) any other factors determined appropriate by the 
 Comptroller General.

 TITLE II--PROGRAM INTEGRITY

SEC. 201. CLARIFICATION FOR FRAUD AND ABUSE LAWS REGARDING TECHNOLOGIES 
 PROVIDED TO BENEFICIARIES.

 

Section 1128A
            (i) (6) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1320a-
7a
            (i) (6) ) is amended--

    (1) in subparagraph
            (I) , by striking ``; or'' and inserting 
 a semicolon;

    (2) in subparagraph
        (J) , by striking the period at the end 
 and inserting ``; or''; and

    (3) by adding at the end the following new subparagraph:
 ``
        (K) the provision of technologies (as defined by 
 the Secretary) on or after the date of the enactment of 
 this subparagraph, by a provider of services or 
 supplier (as such terms are defined for purposes of 
 title XVIII) directly to an individual who is entitled 
 to benefits under part A of title XVIII, enrolled under 
 part B of such title, or both, for the purpose of 
 furnishing telehealth services, remote patient 
 monitoring services, or other services furnished 
 through the use of technology (as defined by the 
 Secretary), if--
 ``
            (i) the technologies are not offered as 
 part of any advertisement or solicitation; and
 ``
            (ii) the provision of the technologies 
 meets any other requirements set forth in 
 regulations promulgated by the Secretary.''.

SEC. 202. ADDITIONAL RESOURCES FOR TELEHEALTH OVERSIGHT.

 In addition to amounts otherwise available, there are authorized to 
be appropriated to the Inspector General of the Department of Health 
and Human Services for each of fiscal years 2026 through 2030, out of 
any money in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated, $3,000,000, to 
remain available until expended, for purposes of conducting audits, 
investigations, and other oversight and enforcement activities with 
respect to telehealth services, remote patient monitoring services, or 
other services furnished through the use of technology (as defined by 
the Secretary).

SEC. 203. ADDRESSING SIGNIFICANT OUTLIER BILLING PATTERNS FOR 
 TELEHEALTH SERVICES.

    (a) Identification and Notification of Outlier Billers of 
Telehealth.--

    (1) In general.--The Secretary shall, using standard unique 
 health identifiers (described in 

section 1173

    (b) of the Social 
 Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1320d-2) reported on claims for 
 telehealth services furnished to individuals under 

section 1834
            (m) of such Act (42 U.S.C. 1395m
            (m) )), identify physicians 
 and practitioners that demonstrate significant outlier billing 
 patterns (such as coding of telehealth services for 
 inappropriate length of time and inaccurate complexity and 
 inappropriate or duplicate billing) for telehealth services or 
 items or services ordered or prescribed concurrent to a 
 telehealth service over a period of time specified by the 
 Secretary.

    (2) Establishment of thresholds.--For purposes of this 
 subsection, the Secretary shall establish thresholds for 
 outlier billing patterns to identify whether a physician or 
 practitioner is a significant outlier biller for telehealth 
 services or items or services ordered or prescribed concurrent 
 to a telehealth service as compared to other physicians or 
 practitioners within the same specialty and geographic area.

    (b) Notification.--

    (1) In general.--The Secretary shall notify physicians and 
 practitioners identified as a significant outlier biller for 
 telehealth services or items or services ordered or prescribed 
 concurrent to a telehealth service under subsection

    (a) . Each 
 notification under the preceding sentence shall include the 
 following:
        (A) Information on how the physician or 
 practitioner compares to physicians or practitioners 
 within the same specialty and geographic area with 
 respect to billing for telehealth services or items or 
 services ordered or prescribed concurrent to a 
 telehealth service under the Medicare program under 
 title XVIII of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395 
 et seq.).
        (B) Information on telehealth billing guidelines 
 under the Medicare program.
            (C) Other information determined appropriate by the 
 Secretary.

    (2) Clarification.--Nothing in this subsection or 
 subsection

    (a) shall be construed as directing the Centers for 
 Medicare & Medicaid Services to pursue further audits of 
 providers of services and suppliers outside of those permitted 
 or required under titles XI or XVIII of the Social Security 
 Act, or otherwise under applicable Federal law.
            (c) Public Availability of Information.--The Secretary shall make 
aggregate information on outlier billing patterns identified under 
subsection

    (a) available on the internet website of the Centers for 
Medicare & Medicaid Services. Such information shall be in a form and 
manner determined appropriate by the Secretary and shall not identify 
any specific physician or practitioner.
            (d) Other Activities.--Nothing in this section shall preclude the 
Secretary from conducting activities that provide physicians and 
practitioners with information as to how they compare to other 
physicians and practitioners that are in addition to the activities 
under this section.

    (e) Telehealth Resource Centers Education Activities.--

Section 330I

    (j)

    (2) of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 254c-14

    (j)

    (2) ) 
is amended--

    (1) in subparagraph
        (F) , by striking ``and'' at the end;

    (2) in subparagraph
        (G) , by striking the period at the end 
 and inserting ``; and''; and

    (3) by adding at the end the following new subparagraph:
 ``
        (H) providing technical assistance and education 
 to physicians and practitioners that the Secretary 
 identifies pursuant to 

section 203

    (a) of the CONNECT 
 for Health Act of 2025 as having significant levels of 
 outlier billing patterns with respect to telehealth 
 services or items or services ordered or prescribed 
 concurrent to a telehealth service under the Medicare 
 program under title XVIII of the Social Security Act, 
 including--
 ``
            (i) education on practices to ensure 
 coding of telehealth services for appropriate 
 length of time and accurate complexity;
 ``
            (ii) education on prevention of 
 inappropriate or duplicate billing; and
 ``
            (iii) information provided in the annual 
 physician fee schedule rulemaking regarding--
 ``
            (I) services specified in 
 paragraph

    (4)
        (F)
            (i) of 

section 1834
            (m) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 
 1395m
            (m) ) for authorized payment under 
 paragraph

    (1) of such section; and
 ``
            (II) the process used to update 
 such services under paragraph

    (4)
        (F)
            (ii) of such 

section 1834
            (m) ; and
 ``
            (iv) referral to the appropriate medicare 
 administrative contractor for specific 
 questions that fall outside of the scope of 
 broad best practices.''.

    (f) 

=== Definitions. ===
-In this section:

    (1) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
 of Health and Human Services.

    (2) Telehealth service.--The term ``telehealth service'' 
 has the meaning given that term in 

section 1834
            (m) (4)
        (F) of the 
 Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395m
            (m) (4)
        (F) ).

    (3) Physician; practitioner.--The terms ``physician'' and 
 ``practitioner'' have the meaning given those terms for 
 purposes of 

section 1834
            (m) of the Social Security Act (42 
 U.S.C. 1395m
            (m) ).

TITLE III--BENEFICIARY AND PROVIDER SUPPORTS, QUALITY OF CARE, AND DATA

SEC. 301. BENEFICIARY ENGAGEMENT ON TELEHEALTH.

    (a) Resources, Guidance, and Training Sessions.--

Section 1834
            (m) of 
the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395m
            (m) ) is amended by adding at 
the end the following new paragraph:
 ``

    (10) Resources, guidance, and training sessions.--
 ``
        (A) In general.--Not later than 6 months after 
 the date of the enactment of this paragraph, the 
 Secretary, in consultation with stakeholders, shall 
 issue resources, guidance, and training sessions for 
 beneficiaries, physicians, practitioners, and health 
 information technology software vendors on best 
 practices for ensuring telehealth services are 
 accessible for--
 ``
            (i) individuals with limited English 
 proficiency, including instructions on how to--
 ``
            (I) access telehealth platforms;
 ``
            (II) utilize interpreter 
 services; and
 ``
            (III) integrate telehealth and 
 virtual interpreter services; and
 ``
            (ii) individuals with disabilities, 
 including instructions on accessibility of the 
 telecommunications system being used for 
 telehealth services, engagement with 
 beneficiaries with disabilities prior to, 
 during, and after the furnishing of the 
 telehealth service, and training on captioning 
 and transcripts.
 ``
        (B) Accounting for age and other differences.--
 Resources, guidance, and training sessions issued under 
 this paragraph shall account for age and 
 sociodemographic, geographic, literacy, cultural, 
 cognitive, and linguistic differences in how 
 individuals interact with technology.''.

    (b) Study and Report on Tactics To Improve Beneficiary Engagement 
on Telehealth.--

    (1) Study.--The Secretary of Health and Human Services 
 shall, to the maximum extent feasible, collect and analyze 
 qualitative and quantitative data on strategies that 
 clinicians, payers, and other health care organizations use to 
 improve beneficiary engagement on telehealth services (as 
 defined in 

section 1834
            (m) (4)
        (F) of the Social Security Act (42 
 U.S.C. 1395m
            (m) (4)
        (F) )), with an emphasis on underserved 
 communities, such as the use of digital navigators, providing 
 patients with pre-visit information on telehealth, caregiver 
 engagement, and training on telecommunications systems, and the 
 investments necessary for health care professionals to 
 effectively furnish telehealth services, including the costs of 
 necessary technology and of training staff.

    (2) Report.--Not later than 2 years after the date of the 
 enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to Congress 
 and make available on the internet website of the Secretary of 
 Health and Human Services a report containing the results of 
 the study under paragraph

    (1) , together with recommendations 
 for such legislation and administrative action as the Secretary 
 determines appropriate.
            (c) Funding.--There are authorized to be appropriated such sums as 
necessary to carry out the provisions of, including the amendments made 
by, this section.

SEC. 302. PROVIDER SUPPORTS ON TELEHEALTH.

    (a) Educational Resources and Training Sessions.--Not later than 6 
months after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Health 
and Human Services shall develop and make available to health care 
professionals educational resources and training sessions on 
requirements relating to the furnishing of telehealth services under 

section 1834
            (m) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395m
            (m) ) and 
topics including--

    (1) requirements for payment for telehealth services;

    (2) telehealth-specific health care privacy and security 
 training;

    (3) utilizing telehealth services to engage and support 
 underserved, high-risk, and vulnerable patient populations; and

    (4) other topics as determined appropriate by the 
 Secretary.

    (b) Funding.--There are authorized to be appropriated such sums as 
necessary to carry out this section.

SEC. 303. ENSURING THE INCLUSION OF TELEHEALTH IN MEASURING QUALITY OF 
 CARE.

 

Section 1890A of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395aaa-1) is 
amended by adding at the end the following new subsection:
 ``

    (h) Measuring Quality of Telehealth Services.--
 ``

    (1) In general.--Not later than 180 days after the date 
 of the enactment of this subsection, the Secretary shall review 
 quality measures to ensure inclusion of measures relating to 
 telehealth services, including care, prevention, diagnosis, 
 patient experience, health outcomes, and treatment.
 ``

    (2) Consultation.--In conducting the review and 
 assessment under paragraph

    (1) , the Secretary shall consult 
 external technical experts in quality measurement, including 
 patient organizations, providers, and experts in telehealth.
 ``

    (3) Review and assessment.--The review and assessment 
 under this subsection shall--
 ``
        (A) include review of existing and under 
 development quality measures to identify measures that 
 are currently inclusive of, and measures that fail to 
 account for, telehealth services;
 ``
        (B) identify gaps in areas of quality measurement 
 that relate to telehealth services, including health 
 outcomes and patient experience of care; and
 ``
            (C) assess how to effectively streamline, 
 implement, and assign accountability for health 
 outcomes for quality measures for telehealth services 
 across health care settings and providers.
 ``

    (4) Technical guidance.--The Secretary shall issue 
 technical guidance on the following for health care providers 
 and other stakeholders, as determined appropriate by the 
 Secretary:
 ``
        (A) How to stratify measures by care modality and 
 population to identify differences in health outcomes.
 ``
        (B) The use of uniform data elements.
 ``
            (C) How to identify and catalogue best practices 
 related to the use of quality measurement and quality 
 improvement for telehealth services.
 ``
            (D) Other areas determined appropriate by the 
 Secretary.
 ``

    (5) Report.--Not later than 2 years after the date of the 
 enactment of this subsection, the Secretary shall submit to 
 Congress and post on the internet website of the Centers for 
 Medicare & Medicaid Services a report on the review and 
 assessment conducted under this subsection.''.

SEC. 304. POSTING OF INFORMATION ON TELEHEALTH SERVICES.

 Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this 
Act, and quarterly thereafter, the Secretary of Health and Human 
Services shall post on the internet website of the Centers for Medicare 
& Medicaid Services information on--

    (1) the furnishing of telehealth services under the 
 Medicare program under title XVIII of the Social Security Act 
 (42 U.S.C. 1395 et seq.), described by patient population, type 
 of service, geography, place of service, and provider type;

    (2) the impact of telehealth services on expenditures and 
 utilization under the Medicare program for the most recent 4 
 quarters for which Medicare claims data is available; and

    (3) other outcomes related to the furnishing of telehealth 
 services under the Medicare program, as determined appropriate 
 by the Secretary.
 <all>