I 
113TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 2001 
To amend title 38, United States Code, to improve the ability of health 
care professionals to treat veterans via telemedicine. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MAY 15, 2013 
Mr. RANGEL (for himself, Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania, Mr. MCGOVERN, 
Ms. LEE of California, Mr. RAHALL, Mrs. NAPOLITANO, Mr. MCCAUL, 
Mr. WESTMORELAND, Mr. PERRY, Mr. JONES, Mrs. CAPPS, Ms. CHU, 
Ms. NORTON, Mr. MEEKS, Mr. WALZ, Mr. COOPER, Mr. NUNNELEE, Mr. 
BROUN of Georgia, Mr. CLEAVER, Mr. GARY G. MILLER of California, 
Mr. KELLY of Pennsylvania, Mr. POCAN, and Mr. ROE of Tennessee) in-
troduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Vet-
erans’ Affairs 
A BILL 
To amend title 38, United States Code, to improve the 
ability of health care professionals to treat veterans via 
telemedicine. 
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 ‘‘Veterans E-Health & 
Telemedicine Support Act of 2013’’ or the ‘‘VETS Act 
of 2013’’. 
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SEC. 2. LICENSURE OF HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONALS OF 
THE DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS 
PROVIDING TREATMENT VIA TELEMEDICINE. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Chapter 17 of title 38, United 
States Code, is amended by adding after section 1730A 
the following new section: 
‘‘§ 1730B. Licensure of health care professionals pro-
viding treatment via telemedicine 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—Notwithstanding any provision 
of law regarding the licensure of health care professionals, 
a covered health care professional may practice the health 
profession of the health care professional at any location 
in any State, the District of Columbia, or a common-
wealth, territory, or possession of the United States, re-
gardless of where such health care professional or the pa-
tient is located, if the health care professional is using tele-
medicine to provide treatment to an individual under this 
chapter. 
‘‘(b) PROPERTY OF FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.—Sub-
section (a) shall apply to a covered health care professional 
providing treatment to a patient regardless of whether 
such health care professional or patient is located in a fa-
cility owned by the Federal Government during such treat-
ment. 
‘‘(c) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
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‘‘(1) The term ‘covered health care professional’ 
means a health care professional who is— 
‘‘(A) authorized by the Secretary to pro-
vide health care under this chapter, including a 
private health care professional who provides 
such care under a contract entered into with 
the Secretary, including a contract entered into 
under section 1703 of this title; and 
‘‘(B) licensed to practice the health care 
profession of the health care professional. 
‘‘(2) The term ‘telemedicine’ means the use of 
telecommunication technology and information tech-
nology to support the provision of health care in sit-
uations where the patient and health care profes-
sional are separated by geographic distance. 
‘‘(d) CONSTRUCTION.—Nothing in this section may 
be construed to remove, limit, or otherwise affect any obli-
gation of a covered health care professional under the Con-
trolled Substances Act (21 U.S.C. 801 et seq.).’’. 
(b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sections 
at the beginning of such chapter is amended by inserting 
after the item relating to section 1730A the following new 
item: 
‘‘1730B. Licensure of health care professionals providing treatment via telemedi-
cine.’’. 
Æ 
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