,i  #aafth ,,congress  #b;d ,session    
,h4 ,r4 #hcjh  ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of  
,,representatives  ,september #ag1      
#bjbj,mr4 ,phillips 7for himself1 ,mr4  
,chabot1 and ,mr4 ,morelle7 introduced  
the following bill2 which was referred  
to the ,committee on ,energy and        
,commerce  ,a ,,bill  ,to amend the     
,public ,health ,service ,act to require
 group health plans and health insurance
 issuers offering group or individual   
health insurance coverage to provide    
coverage for services furnished via     
telehealth if such services would be    
covered if furnished in-person1 and for 
other purposes4  #a4 ,short title ,this 
,act may be cited as the ,telehealth    
,coverage and ,payment ,parity ,act4    
#b4 ,requiring group health plans and   
health insurance issuers offering group 
or individual health insurance coverage 
to provide coverage for services        
furnished via telehealth if such        
services would be covered if furnished  
in-person  7a7 ,public health service   

act ,subpart ,,ii of part ,a of title   
,,xxvii of the ,public ,health ,service 
,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #cjj;gg-#aa et seq47
 is amended by adding at the end the    
following new section3  #bgcj4 ,required
 coverage of telehealth services  7a7   
,in general ,a group health plan and a  
health insurance issuer offering group  
or individual health insurance coverage1
 including a grandfathered health plan  
7as defined in section #abea7;e7 of the 
,patient ,protection and ,affordable    
,care ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #ahjaa7;e777--
 7#a7 shall-- 7,a7 provide benefits     
under such plan or such coverage for any
 eligible service 7as defined in        
subsection 7b771 including a mental     
health and substance use disorder       
service1 furnished via a qualifying     
telecommunications system 7as defined in
 subsection 7b77 by a health care       
provider to an individual who is a      
participant1 beneficiary1 or enrollee   
under such plan or such coverage1       
notwithstanding that such provider      

furnishing such service is not at the   
same location as the individual2  7,b7  
so provide such benefits for such       
service under the same terms and with   
application of the same cost-sharing    
requirements 7including a deductible1   
copayment1 or coinsurance7 as would     
apply if such service were furnished by 
such provider to such individual        
in-person2  7,c7 reimburse such provider
 for such service in an amount equal to 
the amount of reimbursement for such    
service had such service been furnished 
by such provider to such individual     
in-person2  7,d7 not impose any         
requirement under such plan or coverage 
that such provider have a prior         
relationship with such individual2 and  
7,e7 not restrict the ability of any    
health care provider with a contractual 
relationship for furnishing an eligible 
service under such plan or coverage from
 furnishing such service via a          
qualifying telecommunications system1   
and shall not establish incentives or   

penalties under such plan or coverage   
for receiving such an eligible service  
from such a provider via such a system2 
and  7#b7 may waive any cost-sharing    
requirement 7including application of a 
deductible1 copayment1 or coinsurance7  
for an item or service furnished for    
purposes of diagnosing or treating      
,,covid-#ai1 including any such service 
that is an eligible service furnished   
via a qualifying telecommunications     
system4  7b7 ,definitions ,in this      
section3 7#a7 ,eligible service ,the    
term eligible service means1 with       
respect to a group health plan and a    
health insurance issuer offering group  
or individual health insurance coverage1
 a service-- 7,a7 for which benefits are
 provided under such plan or such       
coverage when such service is furnished 
in-person2  7,b7 that is medically      
necessary 7as determined by the health  
care provider furnishing such service72 
and  7,c7 that is able to be safely and 
effectively furnished via a             

telecommunications system4  7#b7        
,qualifying telecommunications system   
,the term qualifying telecommunications 
system means a telecommunications system
 that includes1 at a minimum1 audio     
capabilities permitting two-way1        
real-time interactive communication     
between the individual receiving an     
eligible service via such system and the
 health care provider furnishing such   
system1 including a telephone1          
videoconferencing system1 internet      
communications system1 streaming media  
communications system1 and such other   
system as specified by the ,secretary of
 ,health and ,human ,services4  4  7b7  
,application ,the amendment made by     
subsection 7a7 shall apply with respect 
to plan years beginning on or after     
,january #a1 #bjba4