Instructions: In this task, you are given text for US Congressional and California state bills, your task is to generate a summary for this bill.
Input: SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ''Rural Telemedicine Act of 1995''.

SEC. 2. ESTABLISHMENT OF PROJECT.

(a) In General.--The Secretary of Health and Human Services
(hereafter referred to as the ''Secretary'') shall establish not more
than 10 pilot projects not later than 9 months after the date of
enactment of this Act to investigate over a 3-year period the
effectiveness of the use of rural health care provider telemedicine
networks to provide coverage of physician consultative services under
part B of the medicare program to individuals residing in rural areas.
(b) Networks Defined.--In this Act, the term ''rural health care
provider telemedicine network'' (hereafter referred to as a
''network'') means a network of providers that meets the following
requirements:
(1) The network serves physicians, clinics, and other
nontertiary care providers in a rural area who have entered
into agreements with a multispecialty tertiary care provider
(without regard to whether or not such tertiary care provider
is in the rural area) regarding patient referral and transfer,
the use of joint communications systems, and the provision of
emergency and nonemergency transportation among the network
members.
(2) The area in which the network operates is a rural area
designated as a health professional shortage area (under
section 332(a) of the Public Health Service Act) or is an
underserved rural area in accordance with such other criteria
as the Secretary may specify.

SEC. 3. MEDICARE PAYMENT FOR PARTICIPANTS.

(a) In General.--Under the projects established under this Act, the
Secretary shall make payments from the Federal Supplementary Medical
Insurance Trust Fund under part B of title XVIII of the Social Security
Act in accordance with the methodology described in subsection (b) for
physicians' services consisting of a professional consultation with an
individual or entity furnishing a service for which payment may be made
under such part to a medicare beneficiary in a rural area,
notwithstanding that the individual providing the professional
consultation is not at the same location as the individual furnishing
the service to the medicine beneficiary.
(b) Methodology for Determining Amount of Payments.--Taking into
account the amount of funds available for payments under the project,
the Secretary shall establish a methodology for determining the amount
of payments made under subsection (a), and shall include in the
methodology a method for making payment for reasonable costs incurred
in the usage of signal transmission facilities suitable for the conduct
of physician consultative services.
(c) Payment for Nonphysician Providers.--Payments may be made under
subsection (a) for any service described in such paragraph, without
regard to whether or not the individual furnishing such service is a
physician.

SEC. 4. ELIGIBILITY OF NETWORKS.

(a) In General.--A network is eligible to participate in a pilot
project under this Act if--
(1) the network submits to the Secretary (at such time and
in such form as the Secretary may require) an application
containing such information and assurances as the Secretary may
require; and
(2) the network agrees to submit to the Secretary such
information as the Secretary may require to determine the
amount of payments described in section 3(b), to prepare
reports under section 6, and to otherwise carry out the
project.
(b) Rural Area Defined.--In this Act, the term ''rural area'' has
the meaning given such term in section 1886(d)(2)(D) of the Social
Security Act.

SEC. 5. CRITERIA FOR SELECTING PARTICIPANTS.

(a) Technology Applied.--In selecting among eligible networks for
participation in pilot projects under this Act, the Secretary shall
give priority to networks that provide for consultations between
patients and medical specialists involving transmission of detailed
data on the patient in a manner that serves as a reasonable substitute
for inperson interaction between the patients and the specialists.
(b) Permitting Existing Networks To Participate.--Nothing in this
Act may be construed to prohibit the Secretary from selecting a network
operating at the time of the establishment of the pilot projects from
participating in the project.

SEC. 6. REPORTS.

(a) Interim Report on Participating Sites.--Not later than 24
months after the Secretary first makes payment under subsection (b) for
services under a pilot project, the Secretary shall submit a report to
Congress describing the projects and the networks participating in the
projects under this section, including a description of the amounts
expended and the number of patients served under the projects.
(b) Final.--Not later than 1 year after the termination of the
projects, the Secretary shall submit a final report to Congress
describing the operation of the projects and containing--
(1) the Secretary's analysis of the projects' cost-
effectiveness and success in promoting the access of providers
of health care services in rural areas to consultation services
of specialist physicians;
(2) the Secretary's analysis of the impact of the projects
on the ability of patients to obtain a higher quality and
greater range of care; and
(3) such recommendations as the Secretary considers
appropriate for changes in the medicare program relating to
telemedicine, including estimates of the costs associated with
any such changes.

SEC. 7. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

There are authorized to be appropriated from the Federal
Supplementary Medical Insurance Trust Fund under section 1841 of the
Social Security Act a total of $51,000,000 for carrying out the
demonstration project under this Act. Of such amount, not more than
$1,000,000 may be used for administrative purposes, including preparing
and submitting reports under section 6.
Output:
Rural Telemedicine Act of 1995 - Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to establish up to ten pilot projects to investigate, over a three-year period, the effectiveness of the use of rural health care provider telemedicine networks to provide coverage of physician consultative services to individuals in rural areas under part B (Supplementary Medical Insurance Benefits for the Aged and Disabled) of title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act.
Defines a rural health care provider telemedicine network as a network of providers that serves physicians, clinics, and other nontertiary care providers in a health professional shortage or underserved rural area who have entered into agreements with a multispecialty tertiary care provider regarding patient referral and transfer, the use of joint communications systems, and the provision of emergency and nonemergency transportation among the network members.
Requires the Secretary to make payments from the Federal Supplementary Medical Insurance Trust Fund, according to a specified methodology, for physicians' services consisting of a professional consultation with an individual or entity furnishing a service for which payment may be made to a Medicare beneficiary in a rural area, notwithstanding that the consulting individual is not at the same location as the individual furnishing the service to the beneficiary.
Sets forth criteria for selecting project participants.
Authorizes appropriations.