,,ii  #aae? ,,congress  #a/ ,session    
,s4 #ibe  ,,9 ,,! ,,s5ate ,,( ,,!       
,,unit$ ,,/ates  ,april #be1 #bjag,mrs4 
,ern/ 7= h]self & ,ms4 ,hirono7         
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$ic9e        
,support ,act ( #bjag or ! ,,vets ,act (
 #bjag4  #b4 ,lic5sure ( heal? c>e      
pr(essionals ( ! ,dep>tm5t ( ,vet]ans   
,affairs provid+ treatm5t via telem$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 ! cov]$ heal? c>e pr(essional or !  
pati5t is locat$1 if ! cov]$ 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 ! cov]$    
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 ,cov]$ heal? c>e pr(essional
 def9$ ,9 ?is section1 ! t]m cov]$ heal?
 c>e pr(essional means a heal? c>e      
pr(essional :o-- 7#a7 is an employee ( !
 ,dep>tm5t appo9t$ "u ! au?ority "u     
section #gcjf1 #gdja1 #gdje1 #gdjf1 or  

#gdjh ( ?is title or title #e2  7#b7 is 
au?oriz$ by ! ,secret>y to provide heal?
 c>e "u ?is *apt]2  7#c7 is requir$ to  
adh]e to all quality /&>ds relat+ to !  
provision ( telem$ic9e 9 accordance )   
applicable policies ( ! ,dep>tm5t2 &    
7#d7 has an active1 curr5t1 full1 &     
unre/rict$ lic5se1 regi/ration1 or      
c]tification 9 a ,/ate to practice !    
heal? c>e pr(ession ( ! heal? c>e       
pr(essional4  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 ( 9-p]son 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