I 
116TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 6855 
To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to ensure communications 
accessibility for residents of skilled nursing facilities during the COVID- 
19 emergency period. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MAY 13, 2020 
Ms. SA´NCHEZ introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
Committee on Ways and Means 
A BILL 
To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to ensure 
communications accessibility for residents of skilled nurs-
ing facilities during the COVID-19 emergency period. 
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 Virtual 
Visitation for Nursing Home Residents Act of 2020’’. 
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SEC. 2. ENSURING COMMUNICATIONS ACCESSIBILITY FOR 
RESIDENTS OF SKILLED NURSING FACILI-
TIES DURING THE COVID-19 EMERGENCY PE-
RIOD. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 1819(c)(3) of the Social 
Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395i–3(c)(3)) is amended— 
(1) in subparagraph (D), by striking ‘‘and’’ at 
the end; 
(2) in subparagraph (E), by striking the period 
and inserting ‘‘; and’’; and 
(3) by adding at the end the following new sub-
paragraph: 
‘‘(F) provide for reasonable access to the 
use of a telephone, including TTY and TDD 
services (as defined for purposes of section 
483.10 of title 42, Code of Federal Regulations 
(or a successor regulation)), and the internet 
(to the extent available to the facility) and in-
form each such resident (or a representative of 
such resident) of such access and any changes 
in policies or procedures of such facility relating 
to limitations on external visitors.’’. 
(b) COVID-19 PROVISIONS.— 
(1) GUIDANCE.—Not later than 15 days after 
the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary 
of Health and Human Service shall issue guidance 
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on steps skilled nursing facilities may take to ensure 
residents have access to televisitation during the 
emergency period defined in section 1135(g)(1)(B) 
of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1320b– 
5(g)(1)(B)). Such guidance shall include information 
on how such facilities will notify residents of such 
facilities, representatives of such residents, and rel-
atives of such residents of the rights of such resi-
dents to such televisitation, and ensure timely and 
equitable access to such televisitation. 
(2) REVIEW OF FACILITIES.—The Secretary of 
Health and Human Services shall take such steps as 
determined appropriate by the Secretary to ensure 
that residents of skilled nursing facilities and rel-
atives of such residents are made aware of the ac-
cess rights described in section 1819(c)(3)(F) of the 
Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395i–3(c)(3)(F)). 
Æ 
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