Veterans E-Health and Telemedicine Support Act of 2017

Summary: Veterans E-Health and Telemedicine Support Act of 2017 or the VETS Act of 2017 This bill allows a licensed health care professional of the Department of Veterans Affairs to practice his or her profession using telemedicine at any location in any state, regardless of where the professional or patient is located. 

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Veterans E-Health and Telemedicine 
Support Act of 2017'' or the ``VETS Act of 2017''.

SEC. 2. LICENSURE OF HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONALS OF THE DEPARTMENT OF 
              VETERANS AFFAIRS PROVIDING TREATMENT VIA TELEMEDICINE.

    (a) In General.--Chapter 17 of title 38, United States Code, is 
amended by inserting after section 1730A the following new section:
``Sec. 1730B. Licensure of health care professionals providing 
              treatment via telemedicine
    ``(a) In General.--Notwithstanding any provision of law regarding 
the licensure of health care professionals, a covered health care 
professional may practice the health care profession of the health care 
professional at any location in any State, regardless of where the 
covered health care professional or the patient is located, if the 
covered health care professional is using telemedicine to provide 
treatment to an individual under this chapter.
    ``(b) Covered Health Care Professionals.--For purposes of this 
section, a covered health care professional is any health care 
professional who--
            ``(1) is an employee of the Department appointed under the 
        authority under section 7306, 7401, 7405, 7406, or 7408 of this 
        title or title 5;
            ``(2) is authorized by the Secretary to provide health care 
        under this chapter;
            ``(3) is required to adhere to all standards of quality 
        relating to the provision of medicine in accordance with 
        applicable policies of the Department; and
            ``(4) has an active, current, full, and unrestricted 
        license, registration, or certification in a State to practice 
        the health care profession of the health care professional.
    ``(c) Property of Federal Government.--Subsection (a) shall apply 
to a covered health care professional providing treatment to a patient 
regardless of whether the covered health care professional or patient 
is located in a facility owned by the Federal Government during such 
treatment.
    ``(d) Relation to State Law.--(1) The provisions of this section 
shall supersede any provisions of the law of any State to the extent 
that such provision of State law are inconsistent with this section.
    ``(2) No State shall deny or revoke the license, registration, or 
certification of a covered health care professional who otherwise meets 
the qualifications of the State for holding the license, registration, 
or certification on the basis that the covered health care professional 
has engaged or intends to engage in activity covered by subsection (a).
    ``(e) Rule of Construction.--Nothing in this section may be 
construed to remove, limit, or otherwise affect any obligation of a 
covered health care professional under the Controlled Substances Act 
(21 U.S.C. 801 et seq.).''.
    (b) Clerical Amendment.--The table of sections at the beginning of 
chapter 17 of such title is amended by inserting after the item 
relating to section 1730A the following new item:

``1730B. Licensure of health care professionals providing treatment via 
                            telemedicine.''.
    (c) Report on Telemedicine.--
            (1) In general.--Not later than one year after the earlier 
        of the date on which services provided under section 1730B of 
        title 38, United States Code, as added by subsection (a), first 
        occur or regulations are promulgated to carry out such section, 
        the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall submit to the Committee 
        on Veterans' Affairs of the Senate and the Committee on 
        Veterans' Affairs of the House of Representatives a report on 
        the effectiveness of the use of telemedicine by the Department 
        of Veterans Affairs.
            (2) Elements.--The report required by paragraph (1) shall 
        include an assessment of the following:
                    (A) The satisfaction of veterans with telemedicine 
                furnished by the Department.
                    (B) The satisfaction of health care providers in 
                providing telemedicine furnished by the Department.
                    (C) The effect of telemedicine furnished by the 
                Department on the following:
                            (i) The ability of veterans to access 
                        health care, whether from the Department or 
                        from non-Department health care providers.
                            (ii) The frequency of use by veterans of 
                        telemedicine.
                            (iii) The productivity of health care 
                        providers.
                            (iv) Wait times for an appointment for the 
                        receipt of health care from the Department.
                            (v) The use by veterans of in-person 
                        services at Department facilities and non-
                        Department facilities.
                    (D) The types of appointments for the receipt of 
                telemedicine furnished by the Department that were 
                provided during the one-year period preceding the 
                submittal of the report.
                    (E) The number of appointments for the receipt of 
                telemedicine furnished by the Department that were 
                requested during such period, disaggregated by medical 
                facility.
                    (F) Savings by the Department, if any, including 
                travel costs, from furnishing health care through the 
                use of telemedicine during such period.

            Passed the Senate January 3, 2018.

            Attest:

                                                             Secretary.
115th CONGRESS

  2d Session

                                 S. 925

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 AN ACT

To amend title 38, United States Code, to improve the ability of health 
 care professionals to treat veterans through the use of telemedicine, 
                        and for other purposes.