Title: VA Telehealth Expansion Act
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security

Summary:
VA Telehealth Expansion Act
This bill requires the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to award grants to entities for the expansion of telehealth capabilities and provision of telehealth services to veterans through the VA and the Veterans Community Care Program. The VA must give preference to entities that represent veterans in rural or highly rural areas or entities that operate in a medically underserved community.
An entity seeking to establish a telehealth access point for veterans without grant funding is authorized to enter into an agreement with the VA to establish such access point.
The VA must assess and report on the barriers veterans face in accessing telehealth services.

[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 7879 Introduced in House (IH)]

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116th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 7879

   To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to establish a grant 
 program to expand and improve the provision of telehealth services to 
                               veterans.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             July 30, 2020

 Mrs. Lee of Nevada (for herself, Mr. Banks, Mr. Steil, and Ms. Torres 
Small of New Mexico) introduced the following bill; which was referred 
                 to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
   To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to establish a grant 
 program to expand and improve the provision of telehealth services to 
                               veterans.

    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 ``VA Telehealth Expansion Act''.

SEC. 2. GRANT PROGRAM TO EXPAND TELEHEALTH FROM DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS 
              AFFAIRS.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall enter into 
partnerships, and expand existing partnerships, with entities that 
represent or serve veterans, nonprofit organizations, private 
businesses, and other interested parties for the expansion of 
telehealth capabilities and the provision of telehealth services to 
veterans through the award of grants under subsection (c). Such 
telehealth services shall be provided by health care providers of the 
Department of Veterans Affairs or through the Veterans Community Care 
Program under section 1703 of title 38, United States Code.
    (b) Preference.--When selecting entities with which to enter into 
or to expand a partnership under subsection (a), the Secretary shall 
give preference to entities that--
            (1) represent veterans in rural or highly rural areas (as 
        determined through the use of the Rural-Urban Commuting Areas 
        coding system of the Department of Agriculture); or
            (2) operate in a medically underserved community (as 
        defined in section 799B of the Public Health Service Act (42 
        U.S.C. 295p)).
    (c) Award of Grants.--
            (1) In general.--In carrying out partnerships entered into 
        or expanded under this section with entities described in 
        subsection (a), the Secretary shall award grants to those 
        entities.
            (2) Maximum amount of grants.--The amount of a grant 
        awarded under this subsection may not exceed $75,000 in one 
        year.
            (3) Use of grants.--
                    (A) In general.--Grants awarded to an entity under 
                this subsection may be used for one or more of the 
                following:
                            (i) Purchasing or upgrading hardware or 
                        software necessary for the provision of secure 
                        and private telehealth services.
                            (ii) Upgrading security protocols for 
                        consistency with the security requirements of 
                        the Department.
                            (iii) Training of employees, including 
                        payment of those employees for completing that 
                        training, with respect to--
                                    (I) military and veteran cultural 
                                competence, if the entity is not an 
                                organization that represents veterans;
                                    (II) appropriate processes for 
                                handling emergencies that occur during 
                                telehealth;
                                    (III) equipment required to provide 
                                telehealth services; or
                                    (IV) any other unique training 
                                needs for the provision of telehealth 
                                services to veterans.
                            (iv) Upgrading existing infrastructure 
                        owned or leased by the entity to make rooms 
                        more conducive to telehealth care, including--
                                    (I) additions or modifications to 
                                windows or walls in an existing room, 
                                or other alterations as needed to 
                                create a new, private room;
                                    (II) soundproofing of an existing 
                                room;
                                    (III) new electrical or internet 
                                outlets in an existing room; or
                                    (IV) aesthetic or other 
                                enhancements to establish a more 
                                suitable therapeutic environment.
                            (v) Upgrading existing infrastructure to 
                        comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act 
                        of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 12101 et seq.).
                            (vi) Upgrading infrastructure or internet 
                        services.
                    (B) Exclusion.--Grants may not be used for the 
                purchase of new property or for major construction 
                projects, as determined by the Secretary.
    (d) Agreement on Telehealth Access Points.--
            (1) In general.--An entity described in subsection (a) that 
        seeks to establish a telehealth access point for veterans but 
        does not require grant funding under this section to do so may 
        enter into an agreement with the Department for the 
        establishment of such an access point.
            (2) Inspection to determine adequacy of facilities.--The 
        Secretary shall inspect any such access point to determine 
        whether the access point is private, secure, and accessible to 
        veterans.
    (e) Assessment of Barriers to Access.--
            (1) In general.--Not later than 18 months after the date of 
        the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall complete an 
        assessment of barriers faced by veterans in accessing 
        telehealth services.
            (2) Elements.--The assessment required by paragraph (1) 
        shall include the following:
                    (A) An assessment of current and potential future 
                barriers, including--
                            (i) cost;
                            (ii) access to broadband internet 
                        infrastructure and technology;
                            (iii) digital competency; and
                            (iv) discrimination (including cultural, 
                        language, or medical discrimination).
                    (B) A description of how the Secretary plans to 
                address the barriers described in subparagraph (A).
                    (C) Such other matters related access by veterans 
                to telehealth while not on property of the Department 
                the Secretary determines relevant.
            (3) Report.--Not later than 120 days after the completion 
        of the assessment required by paragraph (1), the Secretary 
        shall submit to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs of the 
        Senate and the Committee on Veterans' Affairs of the House of 
        Representatives a report on the assessment, including any 
        recommendations for legislative or administrative action based 
        on the results of the assessment.
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