,,ii  #aafth ,,congress  #b;d ,session  
,s4 #ciii  ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of     
,,the ,,united ,,states  ,june #ah1     
#bjbj,mr4 ,king 7for himself and ,mr4   
,young7 introduced the following bill2  
which was read twice and referred to the
 ,committee on ,finance  ,a ,,bill  ,to 
amend title ,,xviii of the ,social      
,security ,act to ensure access to      
mental health and behavioral health     
services furnished through telehealth   
under the ,medicare program4  #a4 ,short
 title ,this ,act may be cited as the   
,mental and ,behavioral ,health         
,connectivity ,act4  #b4 ,ensuring      
access to mental health and behavioral  
health services furnished through       
telehealth ,section #ahcd7m7 of the     
,social ,security ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4   
#aciem7m77 is amended by adding at the  
end the following new paragraph3  7#i7  
,ensuring access to mental health and   
behavioral health services furnished    
through telehealth  7,a7 ,in general    
,the following requirements shall not   

apply with respect to telehealth        
services that are mental health or      
behavioral health services1 as          
determined by the ,secretary1 furnished 
on or after ,january #a1 #bjba1 to an   
eligible telehealth individual3 7i7 ,the
 requirements described in paragraph    
7#d77;,c7 7relating to geographic and   
site requirements for originating       
sites74  7ii7 ,the requirements         
described in paragraph 7#d77;,e7 and    
section #daj4gh7;b77#b7 of title #db1   
,code of ,federal ,regulations1 or any  
successor regulations 7relating to the  
types of practitioners that may furnish 
telehealth services at a distant site74 
7iii7 ,the requirements described in    
paragraph 7#a7 and section              
#daj4gh7;a77#c7 of title #db1 ,code of  
,federal regulations1 or any successor  
regulations 7relating to use of         
interactive telecommunications systems  
to furnish telehealth services71 but    
only to the extent that such provisions 
require use of video technology in order

 to allow for the use of audio-only     
equipment4  7,b7 ,no facility fee if    
originating site is the home ,in        
accordance with clause 7ii7 of paragraph
 7#b77;,b71 no facility fee shall be    
paid under such paragraph to an         
originating site with respect to a      
telehealth service described in         
subparagraph 7,a7 if the originating    
site is the home of an individual4  4