,i  #aafth ,,congress  #ast ,session    
,h4 ,r4 #ebeg  ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of  
,,representatives  ,november #bb1       
#bjai,mr4 ,cox of ,california introduced
 the following bill2 which was referred 
to the ,committee on ,energy and        
,commerce  ,a ,,bill  ,to direct the    
,federal ,communications ,commission to 
establish a program to be known as the  
,expanding ,telehealth ,program4  #a4   
,short title ,this ,act may be cited as 
the ,telehealth ,expansion ,act of      
#bjai4  #b4 ,expanding ,telehealth      
,program  7a7 ,establishment ,not later 
than #ij days after the date of the     
enactment of this ,act1 the ,commission 
shall establish a program to be known as
 the ,expanding ,telehealth ,program4   
7b7 ,purposes of program ,the purposes  
of the ,program are-- 7#a7 to support   
connected care services for low-income  
individuals1 individuals residing in    
rural areas1 and veterans through       
telehealth services and health care     
providers2  7#b7 to defray the costs of 

internet services to health care        
providers to provide connected care     
services to low-income individuals1     
individuals residing in rural areas1 and
 veterans with conditions such as       
behavioral health conditions1 opioid    
dependency1 chronic health conditions   
7such as diabetes1 kidney disease1 heart
 disease1 stroke recovery1 and traumatic
 brain injury71 mental health           
conditions1 cancer1 and high-risk       
pregnancies2  7#c7 to promote innovative
 telehealth services technologies by    
empowering health care providers to     
connect directly with patients2 and     
7#d7 to gather data and information on  
medical conditions1 transitions of care 
services1 telehealth services1 and      
health care provider resources or needs 
that may be considered in potential     
reforms needed to improve the efficiency
 or effectiveness of the ,program4  7c7 
,report to ,congress ,not later than #a 
year after the establishment of the     
,program1 the ,commission shall submit  

to congressional committees of          
jurisdiction a report on the impacts of 
the ,program on access to health care   
services1 improvements in the health    
status of patients1 and the             
cost-effectiveness of the ,program4 ,the
 report shall also include              
recommendations to ,congress on policy  
reforms needed or ways to improve       
telehealth services1 including          
telehealth services provided to         
low-income individuals1 individuals     
residing in rural areas1 veterans1 and  
other underserved populations4  7d7     
,definitions ,in this section3 7#a7     
,commission ,the term ,commission means 
the ,federal ,communications            
,commission4  7#b7 ,internet service    
,the term internet service has the      
meaning given the term broadband        
internet access service in section      
#h4a7;b7 of title #dg1 ,code of ,federal
 ,regulations 7or any successor         
regulation74  7#c7 ,program ,the term   
,program means the ,expanding           

,telehealth ,program established under  
subsection 7a74  7#d7 ,transitions of   
care services ,the term transitions of  
care services means the movement of a   
patient from one setting of care to     
another setting of care1 including      
settings of care such as hospitals1     
ambulatory primary care practices1      
ambulatory specialty care practices1    
long-term care facilities1 home health1 
and rehabilitation facilities4