II 

116TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. 2408 

To amend the Public Health Service Act to establish a national telehealth 

program, and for other purposes. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

JULY 31, 2019 

Mrs. BLACKBURN (for herself and Mr. CRAMER) introduced the following bill; 

which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions 

A BILL 

To amend the Public Health Service Act to establish a 

national telehealth program, and for other purposes. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Telehealth Across 

5 State Lines Act of 2019’’. 

6 SEC. 2. NATIONAL TELEHEALTH PROGRAM. 

7 Subpart I of part D of title III of the Public Health 

8 Service Act (42 U.S.C. 254b et seq.) is amended by adding 

9 at the end the following: 


kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS
2 

•S 2408 IS

1 ‘‘SEC. 330N. NATIONAL TELEHEALTH PROGRAM. 

2 ‘‘(a) UNIFORM NATIONAL BEST PRACTICES.— 

3 ‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall, in con4 sultation with a range of stakeholders including the 

5 entities listed in paragraph (3), issue guidance on 

6 uniform best practices for the provision of telehealth 

7 across State lines. 

8 ‘‘(2) OBJECTIVE.—The objective of the best 

9 practices issued under paragraph (1) shall be to, not 

10 later than 5 years after the date of enactment of 

11 this section, provide high-quality telehealth in rural 

12 areas across the United States. 

13 ‘‘(3) CONSULTATION.—The entities listed in 

14 this paragraph include— 

15 ‘‘(A) technology experts; 

16 ‘‘(B) data security experts; 

17 ‘‘(C) primary care providers; 

18 ‘‘(D) specialist providers; 

19 ‘‘(E) mental health providers; 

20 ‘‘(F) academic medical centers; 

21 ‘‘(G) Federally qualified health centers, as 

22 defined in section 1861(aa) of the Social Secu23 rity Act; 

24 ‘‘(H) State, local, or tribal health depart25 ments; 

26 ‘‘(I) critical access hospitals; and 


kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS
3 

•S 2408 IS

1 ‘‘(J) any Federal agency with expertise in 

2 the provision of telecommunications or tele3 health. 

4 ‘‘(4) REPORTS.—The Secretary shall, not less 

5 than once every year beginning 1 year after the date 

6 of enactment of this section and ending on the date 

7 on which the guidance under paragraph (1) is 

8 issued, report to the Committee on Health, Edu9 cation, Labor, and Pensions of the Senate and the 

10 Committee on Energy and Commerce of the House 

11 of Representatives on the progress of such guidance. 

12 ‘‘(b) GRANT PROGRAM.— 

13 ‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall for 

14 each of fiscal years 2020 through 2024 award 

15 grants to eligible entities described in paragraph (2) 

16 for the expansion of telehealth programs to rural 

17 areas. 

18 ‘‘(2) ELIGIBLE ENTITY.—To be eligible to re19 ceive a grant under this subsection, an entity shall— 

20 ‘‘(A) demonstrate that it is operating, on 

21 the date on which the entity submits an appli22 cation under subparagraph (B), an effective 

23 telehealth program (as determined in accord24 ance with criteria established by the Secretary); 

25 and 


kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS
4 

•S 2408 IS

1 ‘‘(B) submit an application to the Sec2 retary at such time, in such manner, and con3 taining such information as the Secretary may 

4 reasonably require, including a plan to expand 

5 the telehealth program operated by the entity to 

6 rural areas. 

7 ‘‘(3) STUDY.—Not later than 3 years after the 

8 date of enactment of this section, the Secretary 

9 shall— 

10 ‘‘(A) complete a study on the grant pro11 gram under this subsection, including the suc12 cesses and challenges of the program, lessons 

13 the Secretary has learned with respect to the 

14 program, and best practices for telehealth pro15 grams; and 

16 ‘‘(B) submit a report on such study to the 

17 Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and 

18 Pensions of the Senate and the Committee on 

19 Energy and Commerce of the House of Rep20 resentatives. 

21 ‘‘(4) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.— 

22 There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out 

23 this subsection, $20,000,000 for each of fiscal years 

24 2020 through 2024. 


kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS
5 

•S 2408 IS

1 ‘‘(c) DEFINITION OF RURAL AREA.—In this section, 

2 the term ‘rural area’ has the meaning given the term in 

3 section 330J(e).’’. 

4 SEC. 3. CENTER FOR MEDICARE AND MEDICAID INNOVA5 TION (CMMI) MODEL TO INCENTIVIZE THE 

6 ADOPTION OF TELEHEALTH IN ORDER TO IN7 CREASE ACCESS TO CARE IN RURAL AREAS. 

8 Section 1115A(b)(2)(B) of the Social Security Act 

9 (42 U.S.C. 1395a(b)(2)(B)) is amended by adding at the 

10 end the following new clause: 

11 ‘‘(xxviii) Providing incentives under 

12 title XVIII to encourage the adoption of 

13 telehealth in order to increase access to 

14 care in rural areas.’’. 

Æ 


kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS