,,ii  #aad? ,,congress  #a/ ,session    
,s4 #bagj  ,,9 ,,! ,,s5ate ,,( ,,!      
,,unit$ ,,/ates  ,octob] #h1 #bjae,mrs4 
,ern/ 7= h]self1 ,ms4 ,hirono1 ,mr4     
,cornyn1 ,mr4 ,udall1 ,mr4 ,tillis1 ,mr4
 ,sessions1 ,mr4 ,boozman1 ,mr4 ,r\nds1 
,ms4 ,ayotte1 ,mr4 ,grassley1 & ,mr4    
,he9ri*7 introduc$ ! foll[+ bill2 :i* 0 
read twice & ref]r$ to ! ,committee on  
,vet]ans' ,affairs  ,a ,,bill  ,to am5d 
title #ch1 ,unit$ ,/ates ,code1 to      
improve ! ability ( heal? c>e           
pr(essionals to treat vet]ans ?r\gh !   
use ( telem$ic9e1 & = o!r purposes4  #a4
 ,%ort title ,?is ,act may be cit$ z !  
,vet]ans ,e-,heal? & ,telem$ic9e        
,support ,act ( #bjae or ! ,,vets ,act (
 #bjae4  #b4 ,lic5sure ( heal? c>e      
pr(essionals ( ! ,dep>tm5t ( ,vet]ans   
,affairs provid+ treatm5t via telem$ic9e
  7a7 ,9 g5]al ,*apt] #ag ( title #ch1  
,unit$ ,/ates ,code1 is am5d$ by ins]t+ 
aft] section #agcj;,a ! foll[+ new      
section3  #agcj;,b4 ,lic5sure ( heal?   
c>e pr(essionals provid+ treatm5t via   

telem$ic9e  7a7 ,9 g5]al ,not)/&+ any   
provision ( law reg>d+ ! lic5sure (     
heal? c>e pr(essionals1 a cov]$ heal?   
c>e pr(essional may practice ! heal? c>e
 pr(ession ( ! heal? c>e pr(essional at 
any location 9 any ,/ate1 reg>dless (   
:]e su* heal? c>e pr(essional or !      
pati5t is locat$1 if ! heal? c>e        
pr(essional is us+ telem$ic9e to provide
 treatm5t to an individual "u ?is *apt]4
  7b7 ,prop]ty ( ,f$]al ,gov]nm5t       
,subsection 7a7 %all apply to a cov]$   
heal? c>e pr(essional provid+ treatm5t  
to a pati5t reg>dless ( :e!r su* heal?  
c>e pr(essional or pati5t is locat$ 9 a 
facility own$ by ! ,f$]al ,gov]nm5t dur+
 su* treatm5t4  7c7 ,con/ruction ,no?+ 9
 ?is section may be con/ru$ to remove1  
limit1 or o!rwise affect any obligation 
( a cov]$ heal? c>e pr(essional "u !    
,controll$ ,sub/ances ,act 7#ba         
,u4,s4,c4 #hja et seq474  7d7           
,def9itions ,9 ?is section3 7#a7 ,! t]m 
cov]$ heal? c>e pr(essional means a     
heal? c>e pr(essional :o is--  7,a7     

au?oriz$ by ! ,secret>y to provide heal?
 c>e "u ?is *apt]1 includ+ a private    
heal? c>e pr(essional :o provides su*   
c>e "u a contract ent]$ into ) !        
,secret>y1 includ+ a contract ent]$ into
 "u section #agjc ( ?is title2 &  7,b7  
lic5s$1 regi/]$1 or c]tifi$ 9 a ,/ate to
 practice ! heal? c>e pr(ession ( !     
heal? c>e pr(essional4  7#b7 ,! t]m     
telem$ic9e means ! use (                
telecommunication te*nology & in=mation 
te*nology to provide heal? c>e or       
support ! provision ( heal? c>e 9       
situations 9 :i* ! pati5t & heal? c>e   
pr(essional are sep>at$ by geographic   
di/ance4  4  7b7 ,cl]ical am5dm5t ,!    
table ( sections at ! beg9n+ ( *apt] #ag
 ( su* title is am5d$ by ins]t+ aft] !  
item relat+ to section #agcj;,a ! foll[+
 new item3  #agcj;,b4 ,lic5sure ( heal? 
c>e pr(essionals provid+ treatm5t via   
telem$ic9e4  4  7c7 ,report on          
telem$ic9e  7#a7 ,9 g5]al ,n lat] ?an "o
 ye> aft] ! date ( ! enactm5t ( ?is     
,act1 ! ,secret>y ( ,vet]ans ,affairs   

%all submit to ! ,committee on ,vet]ans'
 ,affairs ( ! ,s5ate & ! ,committee on  
,vet]ans' ,affairs ( ! ,h\se (          
,repres5tatives a report on !           
effectiv5ess ( ! use ( telem$ic9e by !  
,dep>tm5t ( ,vet]ans ,affairs4  7#b7    
,elem5ts ,! report requir$ by p>agraph  
7#a7 %all include an assessm5t ( !      
foll[+3 7,a7 ,! satisfaction ( vet]ans )
 telem$ic9e furni%$ by ! ,dep>tm5t4     
7,b7 ,! satisfaction ( heal? c>e        
provid]s 9 provid+ telem$ic9e furni%$ by
 ! ,dep>tm5t4  7,c7 ,! effect (         
telem$ic9e furni%$ by ! ,dep>tm5t on !  
foll[+3  7i7 ,! ability ( vet]ans to    
access heal? c>e1 :e!r f ! ,dep>tm5t or 
f non-,dep>tm5t heal? c>e provid]s4     
7ii7 ,! frequ5cy ( use by vet]ans (     
telem$ic9e4  7iii7 ,! productivity (    
heal? c>e provid]s4  7iv7 ,wait times = 
an appo9tm5t = ! receipt ( heal? c>e f !
 ,dep>tm5t4  7v7 ,! r$uction1 if any1 9 
! use by vet]ans ( s]vices at ,dep>tm5t 
facilities & non-,dep>tm5t facilities4  
7,d7 ,! types ( appo9tm5ts = ! receipt (

 telem$ic9e furni%$ by ! ,dep>tm5t t 7  
provid$ dur+ ! "o-ye> p]iod prec$+ !    
submittal ( ! report4  7,e7 ,! numb] (  
appo9tm5ts = ! receipt ( telem$ic9e     
furni%$ by ! ,dep>tm5t t 7 reque/$ dur+ 
su* p]iod1 disaggregat$ by ,vet]ans     
,integrat$ ,s]vice ,network4  7,f7      
,sav+s by ! ,dep>tm5t1 if any1 includ+  
travel co/s1 ( furni%+ heal? c>e ?r\gh !
 use ( telem$ic9e dur+ su* p]iod4  7#c7 
,telem$ic9e def9$ ,9 ?is subsection1 !  
t]m telem$ic9e has ! mean+ giv5 t t]m 9 
section #agcj;,b7d77#b7 ( title #ch1    
,unit$ ,/ates ,code1 z add$ by          
subsection 7a74