,,ii  #aaf? ,,congress  #a/ ,session    
,s4 #bdjh  ,,9 ,,! ,,s5ate ,,( ,,!      
,,unit$ ,,/ates  ,july #ca1 #bjai ,mrs4 
,blackburn 7= h]self & ,mr4 ,cram]7     
introduc$ ! foll[+ bill2 :i* 0 read     
twice & ref]r$ to ! ,committee on       
,heal?1 ,education1 ,labor1 & ,p5sions  
,a ,,bill  ,to am5d ! ,public ,heal?    
,s]vice ,act to e/abli% a national      
teleheal? program1 & = o!r purposes4    
#a4 ,%ort title  ,?is ,act may be cit$ z
 ! ,teleheal? ,across ,/ate ,l9es ,act (
 #bjai4  #b4 ,national teleheal? program
 ,subp>t ,i ( "p ,d ( title ,,iii ( !   
,public ,heal? ,s]vice ,act 7#db        
,u4,s4,c4 #bed;b et seq47 is am5d$ by   
add+ at ! end ! foll[+3  #ccj,n4        
,national teleheal? program  7a7 ,uni=m 
national be/ practices  7#a7 ,9 g5]al ,!
 ,secret>y %all1 9 consultation ) a     
range ( /akehold]s includ+ ! entities   
li/$ 9 p>agraph 7#c71 issue guidance on 
uni=m be/ practices = ! provision (     
teleheal? across ,/ate l9es4  7#b7      
,objective ,! objective ( ! be/         

practices issu$ "u p>agraph 7#a7 %all be
 to1 n lat] ?an #e ye>s aft] ! date (   
enactm5t ( ?is section1 provide         
high-quality teleheal? 9 rural areas    
across ! ,unit$ ,/ates4  7#c7           
,consultation ,! entities li/$ 9 ?is    
p>agraph include-- 7,a7 te*nology       
exp]ts2  7,b7 data security exp]ts2     
7,c7 prim>y c>e provid]s2  7,d7         
speciali/ provid]s2  7,e7 m5tal heal?   
provid]s2  7,f7 academic m$ical c5t]s2  
7,g7 ,f$]ally qualifi$ heal? c5t]s1 z   
def9$ 9 section #ahfa7;aa7 ( ! ,social  
,security ,act2  7,h7 ,/ate1 local1 or  
tribal heal? dep>tm5ts2  7,i7 critical  
access hospitals2 &  7,j7 any ,f$]al    
ag5cy ) exp]tise 9 ! provision (        
telecommunications or teleheal?4  7#d7  
,reports ,! ,secret>y %all1 n less ?an  
once e ye> beg9n+ #a ye> aft] ! date (  
enactm5t ( ?is section & end+ on ! date 
on :i* ! guidance "u p>agraph 7#a7 is   
issu$1 report to ! ,committee on ,heal?1
 ,education1 ,labor1 & ,p5sions ( !     
,s5ate & ! ,committee on ,en]gy &       

,comm]ce ( ! ,h\se ( ,repres5tatives on 
! progress ( su* guidance4  7b7 ,grant  
program  7#a7 ,9 g5]al ,! ,secret>y %all
 = ea* ( fiscal ye>s #bjbj ?r\gh #bjbd  
aw>d grants to eligible entities        
describ$ 9 p>agraph 7#b7 = ! expansion (
 teleheal? programs to rural areas4     
7#b7 ,eligible entity ,to be eligible to
 receive a grant "u ?is subsection1 an  
entity %all-- 7,a7 demon/rate t x is    
op]at+1 on ! date on :i* ! entity       
submits an application "u subp>agraph   
7,b71 an effective teleheal? program 7z 
det]m9$ 9 accordance ) crit]ia e/abli%$ 
by ! ,secret>y72 &  7,b7 submit an      
application to ! ,secret>y at su* "t1 9 
su* mann]1 & conta9+ su* in=mation z !  
,secret>y may reasonably require1       
includ+ a plan to exp& ! teleheal?      
program op]at$ by ! entity to rural     
areas4  7#c7 ,/udy ,n lat] ?an #c ye>s  
aft] ! date ( enactm5t ( ?is section1 ! 
,secret>y %all-- 7,a7 complete a /udy on
 ! grant program "u ?is subsection1     
includ+ ! successes & *all5ges ( !      

program1 lessons ! ,secret>y has le>n$ )
 respect to ! program1 & be/ practices =
 teleheal? programs2 &  7,b7 submit a   
report on su* /udy to ! ,committee on   
,heal?1 ,education1 ,labor1 & ,p5sions (
 ! ,s5ate & ! ,committee on ,en]gy &    
,comm]ce ( ! ,h\se ( ,repres5tatives4   
7#d7 ,au?orization ( appropriations ,!re
 is au?oriz$ to be appropriat$ to c>ry  
out ?is subsection1 #bj1jjj1jjj = ea* ( 
fiscal ye>s #bjbj ?r\gh #bjbd4  7c7     
,def9ition ( rural area ,9 ?is section1 
! t]m rural area has ! mean+ giv5 ! t]m 
9 section #ccj;,j7e74  4  #c4 ,c5t] =   
,m$ic>e & ,m$icaid ,innovation 7,,cmmi7 
model to inc5tivize ! adoption (        
teleheal? 9 ord] to increase access to  
c>e 9 rural areas ,section              
#aaae;,a7b77#b77;,b7 ( ! ,social        
,security ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4           
#acie;a7b77#b77;,b77 is am5d$ by add+ at
 ! end ! foll[+ new clause3  7xxviii7   
,provid+ inc5tives "u title ,,xviii to  
enc\rage ! adoption ( teleheal? 9 ord]  
to increase access to c>e 9 rural areas4

  4