,,ii  #aagth ,,congress  #b;d ,session  
,s4 #dcjg  ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of     
,,the ,,united ,,states  ,may #be1      
#bjbb,mr4 ,warner 7for himself and ,mr4 
,barrasso7 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 expand the ability of
 renal dialysis facilities to serve as  
originating sites for telehealth        
services under the ,medicare program4   
#a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited
 as the ,kidney ,health ,connect ,act4  
#b4 ,expanding the ability of renal     
dialysis facilities to serve as         
originating sites for telehealth        
services under the ,medicare program    
7a7 ,in general ,section                
#ahcd7m77#d77;,c77ii77,,ix7 of the      
,social ,security ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4   
#aciem7m77#d77;,c77ii77,,ix77 is amended
 by striking 1 but only for purposes of 
section #ahha7;b77#c77;,b74  7b7        
,removal of geographic requirements     

,section #ahcd7m7 of the ,social        
,security ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #aciem7m77
 is amended-- 7#a7 in paragraph 7#e7--  
7,a7 in the header1 by inserting and    
telehealth services furnished at a renal
 dialysis facility after visit2  7,b7 by
 striking subclause 7,,vi71 7,,ix71 or  
7,x7 and inserting subclause 7,,vi7 or  
7,x72 and  7,c7 by inserting 1 or with  
respect to telehealth services furnished
 for any purpose at an originating site 
described in subclause 7,,ix7 of such   
paragraph before the period at the end2 
and  7#b7 in paragraph 7#g77;,a71 by    
striking 7other than an originating site
 described in subclause 7,,ix7 of such  
paragraph74  7c7 ,prohibition on        
facility fee ,section                   
#ahcd7m77#b77;,b77ii7 of the ,social    
,security ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4           
#aciem7m77#b77;,b77ii77 is amended--    
7#a7 in the header1 by striking if      
originating site is the home and        
inserting for certain originating sites2
 and  7#b7 by striking described in     

paragraph 7#d77;,c77ii77,x7 and         
inserting described in subclause 7,,ix7 
or 7,x7 of paragraph 7#d77;,c77ii74  7d7
 ,face-to-,face monthly requirement for 
certain services ,section #ahcd7m7 of   
the ,social ,security ,act 7#db         
,u4,s4,c4 #aciem7m77 is amended-- 7#a7  
in paragraph 7#a71 by striking ,subject 
to paragraph 7#h7 and inserting ,subject
 to paragraphs 7#e77;,b7 and 7#h72 and  
7#b7 in paragraph 7#e71 as amended by   
subsection 7b77#a7-- 7,a7 by striking   
renal dialysis facility4--,the          
geographic requirements and inserting   
renal dialysis facility4-- 7,a7 ,waiver 
of geographic requirements ,the         
geographic requirements  2 and  7,b7 by 
adding at the end the following new     
subparagraph3  7,b7 ,face-to-face       
monthly requirement ,subparagraph 7,a7  
shall apply to an individual1 with      
respect to telehealth services furnished
 by a physician or practitioner for     
purposes of section                     
#ahha7;b77#c77;,a77ii7 7not including   

telehealth services rendered for        
purposes of section #ahha7;b77#c77;,b77 
at an originating site described in     
subclause 7,,ix7 of paragraph           
7#d77;,c77ii7 only if the individual had
 at least one face-to-face visit with a 
physician during the same calendar month
 such telehealth services were rendered4
  4