,,ii #aagth ,,congress #ast ,session ,s4 #eg ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states ,january #bg1 #bjba,ms4 ,klobuchar 7for herself1 ,mrs4 ,capito1 ,mr4 ,casey1 ,ms4 ,ernst1 ,ms4 ,rosen1 ,ms4 ,smith1 ,ms4 ,stabenow1 ,mr4 ,reed1 ,mr4 ,van ,hollen1 and ,ms4 ,cortez ,masto7 introduced the following bill2 which was read twice and referred to the ,committee on ,health1 ,education1 ,labor1 and ,pensions ,a ,,bill ,to increase the ability of nursing facilities to access telehealth services and obtain technologies to allow virtual visits during the public health emergency relating to an outbreak of coronavirus disease #bjai 7,,covid-#ai71 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,advancing ,connectivity during the ,coronavirus to ,ensure ,support for ,seniors ,act or the ,,access ,act4 ,i ,supplemental appropriations #aja4 ,supplemental appropriations ,the following sums are hereby appropriated1 out of any money in the ,treasury not otherwise appropriated1 for the fiscal year ending ,september #cj1 #bjba1 and for other purposes1 namely3 ,department of ,health and ,human ,services ,health resources and services administration rural health ,for an additional amount for the ,telehealth ,resource ,center of the ,federal ,office of ,rural ,health ,policy of the ,office for the ,advancement of ,telehealth1 to provide assistance with respect to technical1 legal1 regulatory service delivery or other related barriers to the development of telehealth technologies for skilled nursing facilities 7as defined in section #ahai of the ,social ,security ,act7 and nursing facilities 7as defined in section #aiai of such ,act71 #ej1jjj1jjj to remain available through ,september #cj1 #bjbb4 ,,ii ,increased ,access to ,telehealth ,services and ,other ,technologies #bja4 ,definitions ,in this title3 7#a7 ,,covid-#ai public health emergency period ,the term ,,covid-#ai public health emergency period means the portion of the emergency period defined in paragraph 7#a77;,b7 of section #aace7;g7 of the ,social ,security ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #acbj;b-#e7;g77 beginning on or after the date of the enactment of this ,act4 7#b7 ,nursing facility ,the term nursing facility has the meaning given that term in section #aiai7;a7 of the ,social ,security ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #acifr7a774 7#c7 ,secretary ,the term ,secretary means the ,secretary of ,health and ,human ,services4 7#d7 ,skilled nursing facility ,the term skilled nursing facility has the meaning given that term in section #ahai7;a7 of the ,social ,security ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #acie;i-#c7;a774 #bjb4 ,authority to award grants to nursing facilities for supporting virtual visits during the ,,covid-#ai public health emergency 7a7 ,in general ,the ,secretary shall award grants directly to skilled nursing facilities and nursing facilities in accordance with this section to support virtual visits by family members and other individuals for residents of such facilities during the ,,covid-#ai public health emergency period4 7b7 ,application requirements ,a facility seeking a grant under this section shall submit an application to the ,secretary at such time1 in such form and manner1 and containing such information as the ,secretary shall require4 7c7 ,use of funds ,a facility awarded a grant under this section may only use the funds for expenditures attributable to obtaining and using-- 7#a7 technologies to support virtual visits by family members and other individuals for residents of the facility2 and 7#b7 any other items or services necessary to carry out the purposes for the grant described in subsection 7a74 7d7 ,,fcc coordination 7#a7 ,in general ,the ,federal ,communications ,commission 7in this subsection referred to as the ,commission7 shall coordinate with the ,secretary in implementing the grant program established under this section4 7#b7 ,waiver authority ,the ,commission shall waive such requirements of the ,rural ,health ,care program under subpart ,g of part #ed of title #dg1 ,code of ,federal ,regulations 7or any successor regulation7 as necessary1 and for such periods as necessary1 to ensure all facilities awarded a grant under this section are able to carry out the purposes for the grant described in subsection 7a74 7e7 ,limitations 7#a7 ,termination of authority ,the ,secretary shall not award any grants under this section after the end of the ,,covid-#ai public health emergency period4 7#b7 ,supplement1 not supplant ,federal funds paid to a skilled nursing facility or a nursing facility pursuant to this section must be used to supplement1 but not supplant1 any other ,federal1 ,state1 or local funds available to the facility that may be used for a purpose specified in subsection 7c74 7f7 ,guidance ,not later than #ae days after the date of the enactment of this ,act1 the ,secretary shall issue guidance1 created in consultation with appropriate skilled nursing facility and nursing home resident advocate stakeholders1 on steps facilities awarded grants under this section shall take to ensure residents of such facilities have access to virtual visitation during the ,,covid-#ai public health emergency period and how such access shall be facilitated by such facilities4 ,such guidance shall include options for how such facilities will ensure notification of residents and resident representatives of such virtual visitation access and facilitation1 address how adequate support will be provided to residents to facilitate virtual visitation1 address how facilities will ensure or enable installation and access to a device purchased for the use or benefit of individual or multiple facility residents1 and address operational issues and avoid unnecessary barriers to timely deployment of virtual visitation4 7g7 ,report ,not later than #cj days after the end of the ,,covid-#ai public health emergency period1 the ,secretary shall submit a report to ,congress on the grants awarded under this section4 7h7 ,appropriation ,there are appropriated to the ,secretary for fiscal year #bjba from any funds in the ,treasury not otherwise appropriated1 such sums as are necessary to carry out this section1 to remain through the last day of the month following the month in which the ,,covid-#ai public health emergency period ends4 ,,iii ,miscellaneous #cja4 ,emergency designation 7a7 ,in general ,the amounts provided by this ,act are designated as an emergency requirement pursuant to section #d7;g7 of the ,statutory ,pay-,as-,you-,go ,act of #bjaj 7#b ,u4,s4,c4 #icc7;g774 7b7 ,designation in ,senate ,in the ,senate1 this ,act is designated as an emergency requirement pursuant to section #daab7;a7 of ,h4 ,con4 ,res4 #ga 7#aaeth ,congress71 the concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year #bjah4