,,ii  #aafth ,,congress  #b;d ,session  
,s4 #ciea  ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of     
,,the ,,united ,,states  ,june #aa1     
#bjbj,ms4 ,mc,sally 7for herself and    
,mr4 ,jones7 introduced the following   
bill2 which was read twice and referred 
to the ,committee on ,health1           
,education1 ,labor1 and ,pensions  ,a   
,,bill  ,to amend the ,public ,health   
,service ,act to provide for the        
establishment of a virtual health pilot 
program to facilitate utilization of    
remote patient monitoring technology to 
maintain or expand access to health care
 services for individuals in rural areas
 during the ,,covid-#ai emergency       
period1 and for other purposes4  #a4    
,short title ,this ,act may be cited as 
the ,increasing ,rural ,health ,access  
,during the ,,covid-#ai ,public ,health 
,emergency ,act of #bjbj4  #b4          
,increasing rural health access during  
the ,,covid-#ai public health emergency 
7a7 ,definitions ,subsection 7a7 of     
section #ccj;,i of the ,public ,health  

,service ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #bed;c-#ad7
 is amended-- 7#a7 by redesignating     
paragraphs 7#a7 through 7#g7 as         
paragraphs 7#b71 7#c71 7#d71 7#e71 7#f71
 7#h71 and 7#i71 respectively2  7#b7 by 
inserting before paragraph 7#b71 as     
redesignated1 the following new         
paragraph3  7#a7 ,,covid-#ai emergency  
period ,the term ,,covid-#ai emergency  
period means the period beginning on the
 date of enactment of the ,increasing   
,rural ,health ,access ,during the      
,,covid-#ai ,public ,health ,emergency  
,act of #bjbj and ending on the date on 
which the national emergency declared by
 the ,president under the ,national     
,emergencies ,act with respect to the   
,,covid-#ai outbreak in the ,united     
,states expires4  2 and  7#c7 by        
inserting before paragraph 7#h71 as     
redesignated1 the following3  7#g7      
,remote patient monitoring technology   
,the term remote patient monitoring     
technology means digital technologies   
used to collect medical and other forms 

of health data from individuals in one  
location and electronically transmit    
such data securely to health care       
providers in a different location for   
assessment1 recommendations1 and        
interventions4  4  7b7 ,programs        
,subsection 7b7 of section #ccj;,i of   
the ,public ,health ,service ,act 7#db  
,u4,s4,c4 #bed;c-#ad7 is amended-- 7#a7 
by striking ,the ,secretary shall       
establish1 under section #cja and       
inserting the following3  7#a7 ,in      
general ,the ,secretary shall establish1
 under section #cja  2 and  7#b7 by     
adding at the end the following new     
paragraph3  7#b7 ,virtual health pilot  
program ,the ,secretary shall establish 
a virtual health pilot program to       
facilitate utilization of remote patient
 monitoring technology to maintain or   
expand access to health care services   
for individuals in rural areas during   
the ,,covid-#ai emergency period4  4    
7c7 ,grants ,subsection 7d7 of section  
#ccj;,i of the ,public ,health ,service 

,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #bed;c-#ad7 is      
amended by adding at the end the        
following new paragraph3  7#c7 ,virtual 
health network pilot program grants ,the
 ,director shall1 in carrying out the   
virtual health pilot program referred to
 in subsection 7b77#b71 award grants to 
eligible entities to facilitate         
utilization of remote patient monitoring
 technology in rural areas to-- 7,a7    
maintain or expand access to1 and       
coordinate health care services for1    
individuals with chronic conditions2    
7,b7 improve and expand the training of 
health care providers using remote      
patient monitoring technology2 and  7,c7
 minimize challenges facing health care 
providers and health care facilities1   
including rural health clinics1         
community health centers1 community     
behavioral health centers1 long-term    
care facilities1 and rural hospitals1 as
 such providers and facilities serve    
their communities especially during the 
,,covid-#ai emergency period4  4  7d7   

,grant periods ,subsection 7e7 of       
section #ccj;,i of the ,public ,health  
,service ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #bed;c-#ad7
 is amended-- 7#a7 by striking ,the     
,director may award grants under this   
section and inserting the following3    
7#a7 ,telehealth network and telehealth 
research center grants ,the ,director   
may award grants under paragraphs 7#a7  
and 7#b7 of subsection 7d7  2 and  7#b7 
by adding at the end the following new  
paragraph3  7#b7 ,virtual health network
 pilot program grants ,the ,director    
shall-- 7,a7 not later than #cj days    
after the date of enactment of          
,increasing ,rural ,health ,access      
,during the ,,covid-#ai ,public ,health 
,emergency ,act of #bjbj1 issue a notice
 of the availability of funding through 
grants under subsection 7d77#c72 and    
7,b7 not later than #ij days after the  
date of issuance of the notice required 
by subparagraph 7,a71 award all grants  
under subsection 7d77#c74  4  7e7       
,eligible entities ,subsection 7f7 of   

section #ccj;,i of the ,public ,health  
,service ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #bed;c-#ad7
 is amended by adding at the end the    
following3  7#d7 ,virtual health network
 pilot program grants ,to be eligible to
 receive a grant under subsection       
7d77#c71 an entity shall-- 7,a7 meet the
 requirements of paragraphs 7#a71 7#b71 
and 7#c7 of this subsection that apply  
to an entity seeking a grant under      
subsection 7d77#a72  7,b7 be located in 
a rural area2 and  7,c7 demonstrate that
 the entity will provide services using 
remote patient monitoring technology    
that is-- 7i7 cellular enabled2  7ii7   
approved1 cleared1 or authorized by the 
,food and ,drug ,administration2 and    
7iii7 operable using cellular standards1
 including #b;,g and #c;,g1 that offer  
broad network coverage in rural areas   
without broadband access1 as determined 
by the ,secretary4  4  7f7 ,applications
 ,subsection 7g7 of section #ccj;,i of  
the ,public ,health ,service ,act 7#db  
,u4,s4,c4 #bed;c-#ad7 is amended-- 7#a7 

by redesignating paragraphs 7#a7 through
 7#h7 as subparagraphs 7,a7 through     
7,h71 respectively1 and moving the      
margin of each such redesignated        
subparagraph #b ems to the right2  7#b7 
by striking ,to be eligible to receive a
 grant under subsection 7d7 and         
inserting the following3  7#a7          
,telehealth network and telehealth      
research center grants ,to be eligible  
to receive a grant under paragraph 7#a7 
or 7#b7 of subsection 7d7  2 and  7#c7  
by adding at the end the following new  
paragraph3  7#b7 ,virtual health network
 pilot program grants ,to be eligible to
 receive a grant under subsection       
7d77#c71 an eligible entity shall       
prepare and submit to the ,secretary an 
application at such time1 in such       
manner1 and containing such information 
as the ,secretary may require and       
include in such application-- 7,a7 a    
description of the project that the     
eligible entity will carry out using the
 funds provided under the grant2  7,b7 a

 description of the manner in which the 
project funded under the grant will meet
 the health care needs of rural or other
 populations to be served through the   
project1 or maintain or improve access  
to services of1 and the quality of the  
services received by1 those populations2
  7,c7 information on the source and    
amount of non-,federal funds that the   
entity will provide for the project2 and
  7,d7 evidence of intent to provide    
services using remote patient monitoring
 technology as described in subsection  
7f77#d77;,c74  4  7g7 ,preferences      
,subsection 7h7 of section #ccj;,i of   
the ,public ,health ,service ,act 7#db  
,u4,s4,c4 #bed;c-#ad7 is amended by     
adding at the end the following new     
paragraph3  7#c7 ,virtual health network
 pilot program grants ,in awarding      
grants under subsection 7d77#c71 the    
,secretary shall give preference to any 
eligible entity that-- 7,a7 is able to  
establish a virtual health program using
 remote patient monitoring technology   

within #fj days of receipt of the award2
 and  7,b7 proposes to use ,federal     
funds made available through such a     
grant to establish and furnish services 
using remote patient monitoring         
technology that provides real time1     
continuous coaching services4  4  7h7   
,use of funds ,subsection 7j7 of section
 #ccj;,i of the ,public ,health ,service
 ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #bed;c-#ad7 is     
amended by adding at the end the        
following new paragraph3  7#c7 ,virtual 
health network pilot program grants ,the
 recipient of a grant under subsection  
7d77#c7 may use funds received through  
such grant for salaries1 equipment1 and 
operating or other costs for-- 7,a7     
developing and delivering services using
 remote patient monitoring technology   
that enhance access to community-based  
health care services in rural areas2    
7,b7 developing and acquiring1 through  
lease or purchase1 computer hardware and
 software1 audio and video equipment1   
computer network equipment1 interactive 

equipment1 data terminal equipment1 and 
other equipment that furthers the       
objectives of the virtual health pilot  
program2  7,c7 7i7 providing for        
transmission of medical data1 and       
maintenance of equipment2 and  7ii7     
providing for compensation 7including   
travel expenses7 of specialists1 and    
referring health care providers1 who are
 providing virtual health services      
through remote patient monitoring       
technology if no third-party payment is 
available2 and  7,d7 collecting and     
analyzing usage statistics and data to  
document the cost-effectiveness of      
services using remote patient monitoring
 technology2 and  7,e7 carrying out such
 other activities as are consistent with
 achieving the objectives of the virtual
 health pilot program1 as determined by 
the ,secretary4  4  7i7 ,funding        
,subsection 7q7 of section #ccj;,i of   
the ,public ,health ,service ,act 7#db  
,u4,s4,c4 #bed;c-#ad7 is amended-- 7#a7 
in the subsection heading1 by striking  

,authorization of appropriations and    
inserting ,funding2  7#b7 by striking   
,there are authorized to be appropriated
 to carry out this section and inserting
 the following3  7#a7 ,telehealth       
network and telehealth research center  
grants ,to carry out this section with  
respect to grants under paragraphs 7#a7 
and 7#b7 of subsection 7d71 there is    
authorized to be appropriated  2 and    
7#c7 by adding at the end the following 
new paragraph3  7#b7 ,virtual health    
network pilot program grants ,to carry  
out this section with respect to the    
virtual health pilot program under      
subsection 7b77#b71 including grants    
under subsection 7d77#c71 there is      
authorized to be appropriated           
#ej1jjj1jjj1 to remain available through
 the end of the ,,covid-#ai emergency   
period4  4  7j7 ,report ,not later than 
two years after awarding all grants     
under subsection 7d77#c7 of section     
#ccj;,i of the ,public ,health ,service 
,act1 as added by this section1 the     

,secretary of ,health and ,human        
,services shall prepare and submit to   
the ,committee on ,energy and ,commerce 
of the ,house of ,representatives and   
the ,committee on ,health1 ,education1  
,labor1 and ,pensions of the ,senate a  
report on the activities and outcomes of
 the pilot program under subsection     
7b77#b7 of section #ccj;,i of such ,act1
 as added by this section4