Medicare Telehealth Validation Act of 2003

Bill: 108-hr-1940
Sponsor: Rep. Ose, Doug [R-CA-3]
Introduced: 2003-05-01 in the House
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Access to health care
Arts, Culture, Religion
Chronically ill
Clinics
Colleges
Commerce
Community health services
Computer networks
Congregate housing
Congress
Congressional reporting requirements
Cost effectiveness
Data banks
Economics and Public Finance
Education
Educational technology
Elementary and secondary education
Equipment and supplies
Federal advisory bodies
Federal aid to health facilities
Government Operations and Politics
Government and business
Health education
Higher education
Hospitals
Housing and Community Development
Libraries
Medical education
Medical records
Medicare
Mental care facilities
Nonprofit organizations
Nursing
Nursing homes
Quality of care
Rural economic development
Rural health
School health programs
Science, Technology, Communications
Social Welfare
Statistics
Telemedicine

Summary:
action_date: 2003-05-01
text: Medicare Telehealth Validation Act of 2003 - Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act regarding telehealth services (services furnished via a telecommunication system by a physician to an enrolled individual) to: (1) remove current geographic restrictions on the provision of such services; (2) make eligible for such services an entity that participates in a Federal telemedicine demonstration project approved by or financed through the Secretary of Health and Human Services as of December 31, 2000; (3) add to the facilities authorized to participate in the telehealth program; and (4) direct the Secretary to encourage and facilitate multistate practitioner licensure across State lines to facilitate the program.
Directs the Secretary to make grants for expanding access to health care services for individuals in rural areas, frontier areas, and medically underserved areas through the use of telehealth.
Requires the Joint Working Group on Telemedicine to ensure that individuals representing the interests of rural and medically underserved areas are members of the Group.

Legislative actions:
action_date: 2003-05-14
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
action_date: 2003-05-09
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
action_date: 2003-05-01
text: Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2003-05-01
text: Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2003-05-01
text: Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2003-05-01
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR E853-854)
action_date: 2003-05-01
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2003-05-01
text: Introduced in House