To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to establish a pilot program to expand telehealth options under the Medicare program for individuals residing in public housing located in health professional shortage areas, and for other purposes.

Bill: 115-hr-766
Sponsor: full_name: Rep. Velazquez, Nydia M. [D-NY-7]
Introduced: 2017-01-31
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Health care coverage and access

Health facilities and institutions

Health technology, devices, supplies

Medicare

Public housing
Latest action: action_date: 2017-02-10
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.

Summaries:
action_date: 2017-01-31
action_desc: Introduced in House
text: <p>This bill amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to establish a five-year pilot program to expand Medicare coverage of telehealth services for enrollees who reside in public housing. Specifically, the program shall provide for Medicare coverage with respect to "store-and-forward technologies" (i.e., the electronic transmission of medical information, such as digital images), which are covered as telehealth services&nbsp;under current law only&nbsp;with respect to&nbsp;demonstration programs conducted in Alaska and Hawaii. In addition, the program shall provide for increased flexibility with respect to geographic and&nbsp;other requirements.</p>

tv_txt: I 115th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 766 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES January 31, 2017 Ms. Velázquez introduced the following bill; which was 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 A BILL To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to establish a pilot program to expand telehealth options under the Medicare program for individuals residing in public housing located in health professional shortage areas, and for other purposes.

1. Pilot Program to expand telehealth options under the Medicare program for certain individuals (a) In general Section 1834(m) of the Social Security Act ( 42 U.S.C. 1395m(m) ) is amended by adding at the end the following new paragraph: (5) Pilot program (A) In general During a five-year period that begins not later than six months after the date of the enactment of this paragraph, the Secretary shall establish and implement a pilot program that applies this subsection, with respect to an individual described in subparagraph (B), in the manner in which the Secretary would apply such subsection if— (i) such pilot program were, for purposes of the provision of paragraph (1) relating to store-and-forward technologies, a Federal telemedicine demonstration program conducted in Alaska or Hawaii; (ii) any service furnished under the pilot program were, for purposes of paragraph (4)(C)(i) (relating to the furnishing of services at rural sites), furnished at a site that is located in an area described in subclause (I) of such paragraph or a county described in subclause (II) of such paragraph; (iii) paragraph (3)(A) required the Secretary to apply the provisions of section 1848(g) and subparagraphs (A) and (B) of section 1842(b)(18) to a physician or practitioner receiving payment under this subsection in the same manner as they apply to physicians, suppliers (including the suppliers that, pursuant to clause (vi), are included in the definition of practitioner for purposes of the pilot program), or practitioners under such sections; (iv) the term telehealth service , as defined in paragraph (4)(F)(i), included, in addition to such the service described in such paragraph, any physical, respiratory, occupational, psychological, and speech therapy for which coverage is provided under this title when the individual physician or practitioner providing the service is at the same location as the beneficiary; (v) the term distant site , as defined in paragraph (4)(A), included, in addition to the sites described in such paragraph, Federally qualified health centers (as defined in section 1861(aa)(4)) and rural health clinics (as defined in section 1861(aa)(2)); and (vi) the term practitioner , as defined in paragraph (4)(E), included, in addition to the individuals described in such paragraph, respiratory therapists, audiologists, occupational therapists, physical therapists, and speech language pathologists. (B) Individuals described An individual described in this subparagraph is an individual who— (i) is enrolled under this part who receives a telehealth service; and (ii) resides in public housing (as such term is defined in section 3(b) of the United States Housing Act of 1937 ( 42 U.S.C. 1437a(b) )). (C) Issuance of regulations Not later than the date that is six months after the date of enactment of this paragraph, the Secretary shall issue such regulations as are necessary to carry out the pilot program described in this paragraph. .