I 
117TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 1406 
To require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to collect, analyze, 
and report qualitative and quantitative data on the use of telehealth 
during the COVID–19 public health emergency. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
FEBRUARY 26, 2021 
Mr. CURTIS (for himself, Mr. WELCH, and Ms. MATSUI) introduced the fol-
lowing bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Com-
merce, and in addition to the Committee on Ways and Means, for a pe-
riod to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for con-
sideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the com-
mittee concerned 
A BILL 
To require the Secretary of Health and Human Services 
to collect, analyze, and report qualitative and quan-
titative data on the use of telehealth during the COVID– 
19 public health emergency. 
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 ‘‘COVID–19 Emergency 
Telehealth Impact Reporting Act of 2021’’. 
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SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS. 
In this Act: 
(1) COVID–19 PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCY.— 
The term ‘‘COVID–19 public health emergency’’ 
means the outbreak and public health response per-
taining to Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID–19), 
associated with the emergency declared by the Sec-
retary on January 31, 2020, under section 319 of 
the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 247d), and 
any renewals thereof and any subsequent declara-
tions by the Secretary related to COVID–19. 
(2) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means 
the Secretary of Health and Human Services. 
SEC. 3. DATA COLLECTION AND REPORTS ON THE USE OF 
TELEHEALTH DURING THE COVID–19 PUBLIC 
HEALTH EMERGENCY. 
(a) DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Beginning not later than 30 
days after the date of enactment of this Act, the 
Secretary shall collect and analyze qualitative and 
quantitative data on the impact of telehealth serv-
ices, virtual check-ins, digital health, and remote pa-
tient monitoring technologies on health care delivery 
permitted by the waiver or modification of certain 
requirements under titles XVIII of the Social Secu-
rity Act (42 U.S.C. 1395 et seq.), and any regula-
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tions thereunder, pursuant to section 1135 of such 
Act (42 U.S.C. 1320b–5) during the COVID–19 
public health emergency, which may include the col-
lection of data regarding— 
(A) health care utilization rates across the 
Medicare program under title XVIII of the So-
cial Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395 et seq.) for 
individuals confirmed or suspected to have 
COVID–19 and individuals seeking care unre-
lated to COVID–19, including— 
(i) patient access to telehealth services 
in medically underserved communities; or 
(ii) individuals receiving telehealth 
services through federally qualified health 
centers (as defined in section 1861(aa)(4) 
of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 
1395x(aa)(4)) or rural health clinics (as 
defined in section 1861(aa)(2) of such Act 
(42 U.S.C. 1395x(aa)(2))) serving as origi-
nating sites or distant sites, and any chal-
lenges for providers furnishing telehealth 
services in these communities; 
(B) health care quality for individuals con-
firmed or suspected to have COVID–19 and in-
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dividuals seeking care unrelated to COVID–19 
as measured by— 
(i) quality of care metrics, such as 
hospital readmission rates, missed appoint-
ment rates, or wellness visits, and 
(ii) engagement metrics, such as vol-
untary patient satisfaction surveys and vol-
untary provider satisfaction surveys; 
(C) audio-only telehealth utilization rates 
when other video-based telehealth was not an 
option or any other telehealth services that were 
not provided in real-time (including text-mes-
saging or through online chat platforms), the 
types of visits, and the types of providers treat-
ing individuals; 
(D) telehealth utilization rates used to 
treat individuals across State lines; 
(E) the health outcomes of any individual 
who utilizes telehealth services to treat an un-
derlying health condition such as diabetes, end- 
stage renal disease, chronic lung disease, ob-
structive pulmonary disease, coronary artery 
disease, or cirrhosis and the types of technology 
utilized to receive care, including text-mes-
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saging, online chat platforms, audio-only, or 
video conferencing; 
(F) the health outcomes of any individual 
who utilizes mental health care and substance 
use disorder treatment services, and the types 
of technology utilized to receive care, including 
text-messaging, online chat platforms, audio- 
only, or video conferencing; 
(G) the impact of State and Federal pri-
vacy and security protections on the delivery of 
care and patient safety, including the security 
of the various technologies utilized to deliver or 
receive telehealth care; 
(H) how telehealth access differs by race, 
ethnicity, or income levels; 
(I) the types of technologies utilized to de-
liver or receive telehealth care, including Zoom, 
Skype, FaceTime, text messaging, online chat 
platforms, or other technologies, as observed by 
the 
Secretary, 
and 
utilization 
rates, 
disaggregated by type of technology (as applica-
ble); 
(J) the investments necessary for providers 
to develop a platform to effectively provide tele-
health services to their patients, including the 
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costs of the necessary technology and the costs 
of training staff; and 
(K) any additional information determined 
appropriate by the Secretary. 
(2) BROADBAND
AVAILABILITY
DATA.—Upon 
request by the Secretary, the Assistant Secretary of 
Commerce for Communications and Information and 
the Federal Communications Commission shall pro-
vide the Secretary any relevant data regarding the 
availability of broadband internet access service (as 
defined in section 801 of the Communications Act of 
1934 (47 U.S.C. 641)) for the purposes of com-
pleting the report under paragraph (1). 
(b) INTERIM REPORT TO CONGRESS.—Not later than 
90 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Sec-
retary shall submit to the Committees on Finance and 
Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions of the Senate and 
the Committees on Ways and Means and Energy and 
Commerce of the House of Representatives an interim re-
port on the impact of telehealth based on the data col-
lected and analyzed under subsection (a). For the pur-
poses of the interim report, the Secretary may determine 
which data collected and analyzed under subsection (a) is 
most appropriate to complete such report. 
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