,i  #aacth ,,congress  #ast ,session    
,h4 ,r4 #cejg  ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of  
,,representatives  ,november #ae1 #bjac 
,mr4 ,peters of ,california 7for        
himself1 ,mr4 ,thompson of ,california1 
,mr4 ,welch1 and ,mr4 ,harper7          
introduced the following bill2 which was
 referred to the ,committee on ,armed   
,services1 and in addition to the       
,committee on ,veterans' ,affairs1 for a
 period to be subsequently determined by
 the ,speaker1 in each case for         
consideration of such provisions as fall
 within the jurisdiction of the         
committee concerned  ,a ,,bill  ,to     
amend titles #aj and #ch1 ,united       
,states ,code1 to expand the use of     
telehealth under the ,,tricare program  
and in the ,department of ,veterans     
,affairs1 and for other purposes4  #a4  
,short title ,this ,act may be cited as 
the #bast ,century ,care for ,military  
and ,veterans ,act4  #b4 ,telehealth    
under ,,tricare program  7a7 ,care      
provided at military medical treatment  

facilities ,section #ajgg of title #aj1 
,united ,states ,code1 is amended by    
adding at the end the following new     
subsection3  7g7 ,in providing health   
care to a covered beneficiary under     
section #ajgf of this title at a        
military medical treatment facility1 the
 ,secretary may furnish an item or      
service to the covered beneficiary via a
 telecommunications system4  4  7b7     
,care provided at private facilities    
7#a7 ,certain dependents ,section #ajgi 
of title #aj1 ,united ,states ,code1 is 
amended by adding at the end the        
following new subsection3  7r7  7#a7 ,an
 item or service furnished to a covered 
beneficiary via a telecommunications    
system shall be covered by a plan       
described in paragraph 7#b7 to the same 
extent the item or service would be     
covered if furnished in the same        
location of the covered beneficiary1 and
 benefits shall not be denied under such
 a plan solely on the basis that the    
item or service is being furnished via a

 telecommunications system4 ,for the    
purposes of reimbursement1 licensure1   
professional liability1 and other       
purposes under this section with respect
 to the provision of telehealth         
services1 practitioners1 suppliers1 and 
providers of such services are          
considered to be furnishing such        
services at their location and not at   
the originating site4  7#b7 ,a plan     
described in this paragraph is a plan   
for which the ,secretary enters into a  
contract under subsection 7a7 to provide
 dependents with medical care4  4  7#b7 
,certain members and former members     
,section #ajhf of title #aj1 ,united    
,states ,code1 is amended by adding at  
the end the following new subsection3   
7i7  7#a7 ,an item or service furnished 
to a covered beneficiary via a          
telecommunications system shall be      
covered by a plan described in paragraph
 7#b7 to the same extent the item or    
service would be covered if furnished in
 the same location of the covered       

beneficiary1 and benefits shall not be  
denied under such a plan solely on the  
basis that the item or service is being 
furnished via a telecommunications      
system4 ,for the purposes of            
reimbursement1 licensure1 professional  
liability1 and other purposes under this
 section with respect to the provision  
of telehealth services1 practitioners1  
suppliers1 and providers of such        
services are considered to be furnishing
 such services at their location and not
 at the originating site4  7#b7 ,a plan 
described in this paragraph is a plan   
for which the ,secretary enters into a  
contract under subsection 7a7 to provide
 persons covered by subsection 7c7 with 
health benefits4  4  #c4 ,health care   
provided by the ,department of ,veterans
 ,affairs  7a7 ,in general ,subchapter  
,i of chapter #ag of title #ch1 ,united 
,states ,code1 is amended by inserting  
after section #agji;,a the following new
 section3  #agji;,b4 ,provision of      
health care via telecommunications      

system  7a7 ,direct care ,in providing  
health care directly to an individual   
under this chapter or chapter #ah of    
this title1 the ,secretary may furnish  
an item or service to the individual via
 a telecommunications system4  7b7      
,contracted care  7#a7 ,an item or      
service furnished to an individual      
covered by a plan described in paragraph
 7#b7 via a telecommunications system   
shall be covered by such a plan to the  
same extent the item or service would be
 covered if furnished in the same       
location of the individual1 and benefits
 shall not be denied under such a plan  
solely on the basis that the item or    
service is being furnished via a        
telecommunications system4 ,for the     
purposes of reimbursement1 licensure1   
professional liability1 and other       
purposes under this chapter and chapter 
#ah with respect to the provision of    
telehealth services1 practitioners1     
suppliers1 and providers of such        
services are considered to be furnishing

 such services at their location and not
 at the originating site4  7#b7 ,a plan 
described in this paragraph is a plan   
for which the ,secretary enters into a  
contract or agreement under this chapter
 or chapter #ah of this title to furnish
 health care to an individual4  4  7b7  
,clerical amendment ,the table of       
sections at the beginning of such       
chapter is amended by inserting after   
the item relating to section #agji;,a   
the following new item3  #agji;,b4      
,provision of health care via           
telecommunications system4  4  #d4      
,effective date ,the amendments made by 
this ,act shall take effect on ,january 
#a1 #bjae1 and shall apply to items and 
services furnished on or after such     
date4