Expanded Telehealth Access Act

Bill: 118-hr-3875
Sponsor: full_name: Rep. Sherrill, Mikie [D-NJ-11]
Introduced: 2023-06-06
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Health care coverage and access

Health facilities and institutions

Health personnel

Health technology, devices, supplies

Hearing, speech, and vision care

Home and outpatient care

Internet, web applications, social media

Long-term, rehabilitative, and terminal care

Medicare
Latest action: action_date: 2024-12-17
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.

Summaries:
action_date: 2023-06-06
action_desc: Introduced in House
text: <p><strong>Expanded Telehealth Access Act</strong></p><p>This bill expands the types of health care practitioners who may provide telehealth services under Medicare.</p><p>Specifically, the bill permanently allows audiologists, physical therapists, occupational therapists, speech-language pathologists, and other providers designated by the Centers for Medicare &amp; Medicaid Services to provide&nbsp;telehealth services under Medicare. It also specifically allows occupational therapy assistants and physical therapist assistants to provide such services.&nbsp;</p>

tv_txt: I 118th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 3875 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES June 6, 2023 Ms. Sherrill (for herself, Mrs. Harshbarger , Ms. Blunt Rochester , Mr. Carson , Mr. Valadao , Mrs. Kiggans of Virginia , Mr. Pocan , Mr. Thompson of Pennsylvania , Mr. Mann , Ms. Pingree , Mr. Carbajal , Mr. Veasey , Ms. Perez , Ms. Wild , Mr. Stanton , Mr. Bacon , Mr. Allred , and Mr. Gottheimer ) 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 expand the scope of practitioners eligible for payment for telehealth services under the Medicare program, and for other purposes.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Expanded Telehealth Access Act . 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 (2)— (A) 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 (B) 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 ; (2) in paragraph (3)(B), by inserting described in subparagraph (C) of such section after practitioners ; and (3) in paragraph (4), 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. .