,i #aagth ,,congress #ast ,session ,h4 ,r4 #cda ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of ,,representatives ,january #ae1 #bjba,mr4 ,williams of ,texas introduced the following bill2 which was referred to the ,committee on ,ways and ,means1 and in addition to the ,committee on ,energy and ,commerce1 for a period to be subsequently determined by the ,speaker1 in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned ,a ,,bill ,to make permanent certain telehealth flexibilities established in response to ,,covid-#ai4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,ensuring ,telehealth ,expansion ,act of #bjba4 #b4 ,making permanent certain telehealth flexibilities established in response to ,,covid-#ai 7a7 ,exemption for telehealth services 7#a7 ,in general ,subparagraph 7,e7 of section #bbc7;c77#b7 of the ,internal ,revenue ,code of #aihf is amended by striking ,in the case of plan years beginning on or before ,december #ca1 #bjba1 a plan and inserting ,a plan4 7#b7 ,certain coverage disregarded ,clause 7ii7 of section #bbc7;c77#a77;,b7 of the ,internal ,revenue ,code of #aihf is amended by striking 7in the case of plan years beginning on or before ,december #ca1 #bjba74 7b7 ,increasing ,medicare telehealth flexibilities ,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 ,waiver authority ,the ,secretary may waive any requirement of this subsection if determined appropriate by the ,secretary4 4 7c7 ,enhancing ,medicare telehealth services for federally qualified health centers and rural health clinics2 ,eliminating special payment rule for such services 7#a7 ,in general ,paragraph 7#h7 of section #ahcd7m7 of the ,social ,security ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #aciem7m77 is amended to read as follows3 7#h7 ,enhancing telehealth services for federally qualified health centers and rural health clinics 7,a7 ,in general ,with respect to services furnished on or after the first day of the emergency period described in section #aace7;g77#a77;,b71 the ,secretary shall pay for telehealth services that are furnished via a telecommunications system by a ,federally qualified health center or a rural health clinic to an eligible telehealth individual enrolled under this part notwithstanding that the ,federally qualified health center or rural clinic providing the telehealth service is not at the same location as the beneficiary4 7,b7 ,payment 7i7 ,in general ,a telehealth service furnished by a rural health clinic or a ,federally qualified health center serving as a distant site to an individual shall be deemed to be so furnished to such individual as an outpatient of such clinic or center 7as applicable7 for purposes of section #ahfa7;aa7 and payable as a rural health clinic service or ,federally qualified health center service 7as applicable7 under section #ahcc7;a77#c7 or under the prospective payment system established under section #ahcd7o7 7as applicable74 7ii7 ,treatment of costs for ,,fqhc ,,pps calculations and ,,rhc ,,air calculations ,costs associated with the delivery of telehealth services by a ,federally qualified health center or rural health clinic serving as a distant site pursuant to this paragraph shall be considered allowable costs for purposes of the prospective payment system established under section #ahcd7o7 and any payment methodologies developed under section #ahcc7;a77#c71 as applicable4 7,c7 ,definitions ,for purposes of this subsection-- 7i7 the term distant site includes a ,federally qualified health center or rural health clinic that furnishes a telehealth service to an eligible telehealth individual2 and 7ii7 the term telehealth services includes a rural health clinic service or ,federally qualified health center service that is furnished using telehealth to the extent that payment codes corresponding to services identified by the ,secretary under clause 7i7 or 7ii7 of paragraph 7#d77;,f7 are listed on the corresponding claim for such rural health clinic service or ,federally qualified health center service4 4 7#b7 ,conforming amendment ,section #ahcd7m77#b77;,a7 of the ,social ,security ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #aciem7m77#b77;,a77 is amended by striking ,subject to paragraph 7#h71 the and inserting ,the4 7#c7 ,effective date ,the amendments made by this subsection shall take effect as if included in the enactment of the ,,cares ,act 7,public ,law #aaf-acf74 7d7 ,waiver of requirements for face-to-,face visits between home dialysis patients and physicians ,section #ahha7;b77#c77;,b77iii7 of the ,social ,security ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #acierr7b77#c77;,b77iii77 is amended by striking during the emergency period described in section #aace7;g77#a77;,b7 and inserting during any period beginning on or after the first day of the emergency period described in section #aace7;g77#a77;,b74 7e7 ,use of telehealth ,to conduct face-to-,face encounter prior to recertification of eligibility for hospice care ,section #ahad7;a77#g77;,d77i77,,ii7 of the ,social ,security ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #acie;f7a77#g7;,d77i77,,ii77 is amended by striking during the emergency period described in section #aace7;g77#a77;,b7 and inserting during any period beginning on or after the first day of the emergency period described in section #aace7;g77#a77;,b74 7f7 ,encouraging use of telecommunications systems for home health services ,section #cgjg of the ,,cares ,act 7,public ,law #aaf-acf7 is amended by striking during the emergency period described in section #aace7;g77#a77;,b7 of such ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #acbj;b-#e7;g77#a77;,b77 and inserting on or after the first day of the emergency period described in section #aace7;g77#a77;,b7 of such ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #acbj;b-#e7;g77#a77;,b774 #c4 ,nonapplication of originating site requirements with respect to telehealth services under ,medicare program ,section #ahcd7m77#d77;,c7 of the ,social ,security ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #aciem7m77#d77;,c77 is amended-- 7#a7 in clause 7i71 by inserting before paragraphs 7#e71 7#f71 and 7#g7 the following3 clause 7iii7 and2 and 7#b7 by adding at the end the following new clause3 7iii7 ,nonapplication of originating site requirements ,beginning on the first day of the emergency period described in section #aace7;g77#a77;,b71 the term originating site means any site at which the eligible telehealth individual is located at the time the service is furnished via a telecommunications system4 4 #d4 ,report by ,comptroller ,general ,not later than #e years after the date of the enactment of this ,act1 the ,comptroller ,general of the ,united ,states shall submit to ,congress a report on the successes and limitations of implementing the statutory provisions amended by sections #b and #c1 including-- 7#a7 details of any savings or costs to the ,federal ,government that are attributable to the implementation of such provisions2 and 7#b7 an analysis of how the implementation of such provisions have impacted rural hospitals4