I 
116TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 5257 
To direct the Federal Communications Commission to establish a program 
to be known as the ‘‘Expanding Telehealth Program’’. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
NOVEMBER 22, 2019 
Mr. COX of California introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
Committee on Energy and Commerce 
A BILL 
To direct the Federal Communications Commission to estab-
lish a program to be known as the ‘‘Expanding Tele-
health Program’’. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Telehealth Expansion 
Act of 2019’’. 
SEC. 2. EXPANDING TELEHEALTH PROGRAM. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—Not later than 90 days after 
the date of the enactment of this Act, the Commission 
shall establish a program to be known as the ‘‘Expanding 
Telehealth Program’’. 
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(b) PURPOSES OF PROGRAM.—The purposes of the 
Program are— 
(1) to support connected care services for low- 
income individuals, individuals residing in rural 
areas, and veterans through telehealth services and 
health care providers; 
(2) to defray the costs of internet services to 
health care providers to provide connected care serv-
ices to low-income individuals, individuals residing in 
rural areas, and veterans with conditions such as be-
havioral health conditions, opioid dependency, chron-
ic health conditions (such as diabetes, kidney dis-
ease, heart disease, stroke recovery, and traumatic 
brain injury), mental health conditions, cancer, and 
high-risk pregnancies; 
(3) to promote innovative telehealth services 
technologies by empowering health care providers to 
connect directly with patients; and 
(4) to gather data and information on medical 
conditions, transitions of care services, telehealth 
services, and health care provider resources or needs 
that may be considered in potential reforms needed 
to improve the efficiency or effectiveness of the Pro-
gram. 
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(c) REPORT TO CONGRESS.—Not later than 1 year 
after the establishment of the Program, the Commission 
shall submit to congressional committees of jurisdiction a 
report on the impacts of the Program on access to health 
care services, improvements in the health status of pa-
tients, and the cost-effectiveness of the Program. The re-
port shall also include recommendations to Congress on 
policy reforms needed or ways to improve telehealth serv-
ices, including telehealth services provided to low-income 
individuals, individuals residing in rural areas, veterans, 
and other underserved populations. 
(d) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
(1) COMMISSION.—The term ‘‘Commission’’ 
means the Federal Communications Commission. 
(2) INTERNET SERVICE.—The term ‘‘internet 
service’’ has the meaning given the term ‘‘broadband 
internet access service’’ in section 8.1(b) of title 47, 
Code of Federal Regulations (or any successor regu-
lation). 
(3) PROGRAM.—The term ‘‘Program’’ means 
the Expanding Telehealth Program established 
under subsection (a). 
(4) TRANSITIONS
OF
CARE
SERVICES.—The 
term ‘‘transitions of care services’’ means the move-
ment of a patient from one setting of care to an-
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other setting of care, including settings of care such 
as hospitals, ambulatory primary care practices, am-
bulatory specialty care practices, long-term care fa-
cilities, home health, and rehabilitation facilities. 
Æ 
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