Greater Access to Telehealth Act

To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to extend certain telehealth services and requirements, and for other purposes. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Greater Access to Telehealth Act 2. Removing geographic requirements and expanding originating sites for telehealth services Section 1834(m) of the Social Security Act ( 42 U.S.C. 1395m(m) (1) in paragraph (2)(B)(iii)— (A) by striking With In the case that the emergency period described in section 1135(g)(1)(B) ends before December 31, 2026, with (B) by striking that are furnished during the 151-day period beginning on the first day after the end of the emergency period described in section 1135(g)(1)(B) that are furnished during the period beginning on the first day after the end of such emergency period and ending December 31, 2026 (2) in paragraph (4)(C)(iii)— (A) by striking With In the case that the emergency period described in section 1135(g)(1)(B) ends before December 31, 2026, with (B) by striking that are furnished during the 151-day period beginning on the first day after the end of the emergency period described in section 1135(g)(1)(B) that are furnished during the period beginning on the first day after the end of such emergency period and ending on December 31, 2026 3. Expanding practitioners eligible to furnish telehealth services Section 1834(m)(4)(E) of the Social Security Act ( 42 U.S.C. 1395m(m)(4)(E) and, for the 151-day period beginning on the first day after the end of the emergency period described in section 1135(g)(1)(B) and, in the case that the emergency period described in section 1135(g)(1)(B) ends before December 31, 2026, for the period beginning on the first day after the end of such emergency period and ending on December 31, 2026 4. Extending telehealth services for federally qualified health centers and rural health clinics Section 1834(m)(8)(A) of the Social Security Act ( 42 U.S.C. 1395m(m)(8)(A) during the 151-day period beginning on the first day after the end of such emergency period in the case that such emergency period ends before December 31, 2026, during the period beginning on the first day after the end of such emergency period and ending on December 31, 2026 5. Delaying the in-person requirements under medicare for mental health services furnished through telehealth and telecommunications technology (a) Delay in requirements for mental health services furnished through telehealth Section 1834(m)(7)(B)(i) of the Social Security Act ( 42 U.S.C. 1395m(m)(7)(B)(i) on or after the day that is the 152nd day after the end of the period at the end of the emergency sentence described in section 1135(g)(1)(B)) on or after January 1, 2027 (or, if later, the first day after the end of the emergency period described in section 1135(g)(1)(B)) (b) Mental health visits furnished by rural health clinics Section 1834(y) of the Social Security Act ( 42 U.S.C. 1395m(y) (1) in the heading, by striking to hospice patients (2) in paragraph (2), by striking prior to the day that is the 152nd day after the end of the emergency period described in section 1135(g)(1)(B)) prior to January 1, 2027 (or, if later, the first day after the end of the emergency period described in section 1135(g)(1)(B)) (c) Mental health visits furnished by federally qualified health centers Section 1834(o)(4) of the Social Security Act ( 42 U.S.C. 1395m(o)(4) (1) in the heading, by striking to hospice patients (2) in subparagraph (B), by striking prior to the day that is the 152nd day after the end of the emergency period described in section 1135(g)(1)(B)) prior to January 1, 2027 (or, if later, the first day after the end of the emergency period described in section 1135(g)(1)(B)) 6. Allowing for the furnishing of audio-only telehealth services Section 1834(m)(9) of the Social Security Act ( 42 U.S.C. 1395m(m)(9) The Secretary shall continue to provide coverage and payment under this part for telehealth services identified in paragraph (4)(F)(i) as of the date of the enactment of this paragraph that are furnished via an audio-only telecommunications system during the 151-day period beginning on the first day after the end of the emergency period described in section 1135(g)(1)(B) In the case that the emergency period described in section 1135(g)(1)(B) ends before December 31, 2026, the Secretary shall continue to provide coverage and payment under this part for telehealth services identified in paragraph (4)(F)(i) that are furnished via an audio-only communications system during the period beginning on the first day after the end of such emergency period and ending on December 31, 2026 7. Use of telehealth to conduct face-to-face encounter prior to recertification of eligibility for hospice care during emergency period Section 1814(a)(7)(D)(i)(II) of the Social Security Act ( 42 U.S.C. 1395f(a)(7)(D)(i)(II) and during the 151-day period beginning on the first day after the end of such emergency period and, in the case that such emergency period ends before December 31, 2026, during the period beginning on the first day after the end of such emergency period described in such section 1135(g)(1)(B) and ending on December 31, 2026 8. Extension of safe harbor for absence of deductible for telehealth Section 223(c)(2)(E) and before January 1, 2023, and before January 1, 2027, 9. Funding from medicare improvement fund Section 1898(b)(1) of the Social Security Act ( 42 U.S.C. 1395jjj(b)(1) $7,500,000,000 $0

Summary: Greater Access to Telehealth Act This bill modifies the extension of certain Medicare telehealth flexibilities after the end of the COVID-19 public health emergency. Specifically, the bill provides that certain flexibilities continue to apply until December 31, 2026, if the emergency period ends before that date. The bill allows beneficiaries to continue to receive telehealth services at any site, regardless of type or location (e.g., the beneficiary's home); occupational therapists, physical therapists, speech-language pathologists, and audiologists to continue to furnish telehealth services; federally qualified health centers and rural health clinics to continue to serve as the distant site (i.e., the location of the health care practitioner); evaluation and management and behavioral health services to continue to be provided via audio-only technology; and hospice physicians and nurse practitioners to continue to complete certain requirements relating to patient recertifications via telehealth. The bill also delays implementation of certain in-person evaluation requirements for mental health telehealth services until January 1, 2027, or the first day after the end of the emergency period, whichever is later.