Expanded Telehealth Access Act
Bill: H.R.2168 | Sponsor: Rep. Sherrill, Mikie (D-NJ)
Policy area: Health

Summary:
Expanded Telehealth Access Act
This bill permanently allows audiologists, physical therapists, occupational therapists, speech-language pathologists, and other providers designated by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to provide telehealth services under Medicare.
Currently, the CMS is authorized to waive requirements for Medicare telehealth services during the public health emergency relating to COVID-19, and it has done so to allow all providers that are otherwise eligible to furnish in-person services under Medicare to also furnish telehealth services.

To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to expand the scope of 
 practitioners eligible for payment for telehealth services under the 
               Medicare program, and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Expanded Telehealth Access Act''.

SEC. 2. EXPANDING THE SCOPE OF PRACTITIONERS ELIGIBLE FOR PAYMENT FOR 
              TELEHEALTH SERVICES UNDER MEDICARE.

    (a) Telehealth Provider Parity.--Section 1834(m) of the Social 
Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395m(m)) is amended--
            (1) in paragraph (1)--
                    (A) by striking ``described in section 
                1842(b)(18)(C)'' and inserting ``as described in 
                paragraph (4)(E))''; and
                    (B) by striking ``individual physician or 
                practitioner'' and inserting ``individual physician or 
                practitioner described in paragraph (4)(E)'';
            (2) in paragraph (2)--
                    (A) by striking ``practitioner'' each place it 
                appears and inserting ``practitioner as described in 
                paragraph (4)(E)'' each such place;
                    (B) by inserting before ``located at a distant 
                site'' the following ``(or, in the case of an 
                occupational therapy assistant described in paragraph 
                (4)(E)(ii)(II) or a physical therapist assistant 
                described in paragraph (4)(E)(ii)(III), shall pay with 
                respect to such assistant)''; and
                    (C) by inserting ``(or, in the case of an 
                occupational therapy assistant described in paragraph 
                (4)(E)(ii)(II) or a physical therapist assistant 
                described in paragraph (4)(E)(ii)(III), the amount that 
                would have been paid under this title with respect to 
                such assistant)'' after ``would have been paid under 
                this title'';
            (3) in paragraph (3)--
                    (A) in subparagraph (A), by striking ``or 
                practitioner'' and inserting ``or practitioner 
                described in paragraph (4)(E)''; and
                    (B) in subparagraph (B), by inserting ``described 
                in subparagraph (C) of such section'' after 
                ``practitioners''; and
            (4) in paragraph (4)--
                    (A) in each of subparagraphs (A) and (C), by 
                inserting ``described in paragraph (4)(E)'' after 
                ``practitioner''; and
                    (B) by amending subparagraph (E) to read as 
                follows:
                    ``(E) Practitioner described.--The term 
                `practitioner' means any of the following:
                            ``(i) A practitioner described in section 
                        1842(b)(18)(C).
                            ``(ii) With respect to services furnished 
                        on or after the date of enactment of the 
                        Expanded Telehealth Access Act, a licensed--
                                    ``(I) qualified audiologist (as 
                                defined in section 1861(ll)(4)(B);
                                    ``(II) occupational therapist and 
                                occupational therapy assistant under 
                                the supervision of an occupational 
                                therapist;
                                    ``(III) physical therapist and 
                                physical therapist assistant under the 
                                supervision of a physical therapist;
                                    ``(IV) qualified speech-language 
                                pathologist (as defined in section 
                                1861(ll)(4)(A));
                                    ``(V) facility described in 
                                paragraph (8) or (9) of section 1833(a) 
                                that furnishes telehealth therapy 
                                services; and
                                    ``(VI) any additional health care 
                                provider, as specified by the 
                                Secretary, who participates under this 
                                title and furnishes a service that is 
                                included as a telehealth service under 
                                this subsection.''.
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