I 
116TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 7571 
To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to expand access in frontier 
States to mental health services furnished through telehealth, and for 
other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JULY 9, 2020 
Mr. YOUNG introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee 
on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committees on Ways 
and Means, and Agriculture, 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 in frontier States to mental health services fur-
nished through telehealth, and for other purposes. 
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 ‘‘Facilitating Reforms 
that Offer Necessary Telehealth In Every Rural (FRON-
TIER) Community Act’’. 
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SEC. 2. EXPANDING ACCESS TO MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES 
FURNISHED IN FRONTIER STATES THROUGH 
TELEHEALTH. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 1834(m) of the Social Se-
curity Act (42 U.S.C. 1395m(m)) is amended— 
(1) in paragraph (2)(B)(i), in the matter pre-
ceding subclause (I), by striking ‘‘paragraph (6)(C)’’ 
and inserting ‘‘paragraphs (6)(C) and (9)’’; 
(2) in paragraph (4)(C)(i), by striking ‘‘and 
(7)’’ and inserting ‘‘(7), and (9)’’; and 
(3) by adding at the end the following new 
paragraph: 
‘‘(9) TREATMENT OF MENTAL HEALTH SERV-
ICES FURNISHED IN FRONTIER STATES.— 
‘‘(A) IN
GENERAL.—The originating site 
requirements under paragraph (4)(C) shall not 
apply with respect to telehealth services fur-
nished on or after January 1, 2021, that are 
furnished in a frontier State (as defined in sec-
tion 1886(d)(3)(E)(iii)(II)) and are mental 
health services (as determined by the Sec-
retary), except that a facility fee under para-
graph (2)(B)(i) may only be paid to an origi-
nating site that is a site described in any of 
subclauses (I) through (IX) of paragraph 
(4)(C)(ii). 
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‘‘(B) DEFINITION OF ORIGINATING SITE.— 
With respect to telehealth services described in 
subparagraph (A), the term ‘originating site’ 
means any fixed or mobile location at which the 
individual is located at the time the service is 
furnished.’’. 
(b) GRANTS FOR THE DEPLOYMENT OF BROADBAND 
STRUCTURE.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Chairman of the Fed-
eral Communications Commission and the Adminis-
trator of the Rural Utilities Service of the United 
States Department of Agriculture, in consultation 
with the Administrator of the Health Resources and 
Services Administration and the Director of the In-
dian Health Service, shall award grants for the de-
ployment of broadband infrastructure in frontier 
States, as defined in section 1886(d)(3)(E)(iii)(II) of 
the 
Social 
Security 
Act 
(42 
U.S.C. 
1395ww(d)(3)(E)(iii)(II)), to support the furnishing 
of mental health services through telehealth pursu-
ant to section 1834(m)(9) of such Act, as added by 
subsection (a). 
(2) AUTHORIZATION.—There are authorized to 
be appropriated such sums as are necessary for pur-
poses of carrying out this subsection. 
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paragraph (4)(C), and does not meet the requirement for 
an originating site under clause (i) of such paragraph)’’ 
after ‘‘the originating site’’. 
(c) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendments made by 
this section shall apply to services furnished on or after 
January 1, 2021. 
Æ 
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