,,ii  #aahth ,,congress  #ast ,session  
,s4 #gbi  ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the
 ,,united ,,states  ,march #i1 #bjbc,mr4
 ,kennedy 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 provide for the waiver
 of certain telehealth requirements to  
permit reimbursement for audio-only     
telehealth services under the ,medicare 
program during emergency declarations4  
#a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited
 as the ,audio-,only ,telehealth for    
,emergencies ,act4  #b4 ,waiver of      
certain telehealth requirements to      
permit reimbursement for audio-only     
telehealth services under the ,medicare 
program during emergency declarations   
,section #ahcd7m77#i7 of the ,social    
,security ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4           
#aciem7m77#i77 is amended-- 7#a7 by     
striking ,the ,secretary and inserting  
7,a7 ,during ,,covid-#ai ,,phe4--,the   
,secretary2 and  7#b7 by adding at the  

end the following new subparagraph3     
7,b7 ,ongoing authority  7i7 ,in general
 ,with respect to telehealth services   
furnished on or after ,january #a1      
#bjbe1 the ,secretary shall waive the   
requirements of paragraph 7#a7 and      
section #daj4gh7;a77#c7 of title #db1   
,code of ,federal ,regulations 7or any  
successor regulation71 relating to the  
use of interactive telecommunications   
systems to furnish telehealth services1 
to the extent such provisions require   
the use of video technology1 to allow   
for the furnishing of telehealth        
services using audio-only technology1 as
 determined appropriate by the          
,secretary1 with respect to such        
services furnished in any geographical  
area in which1 and any period during    
which1 there exists-- 7,i7 an emergency 
or disaster declared by the ,president  
pursuant to the ,national ,emergencies  
,act or the ,robert ,t4 ,stafford       
,disaster ,relief and ,emergency        
,assistance ,act2 or  7,,ii7 a public   

health emergency declared by the        
,secretary pursuant to section #cai of  
the ,public ,health ,service ,act4  7ii7
 ,payment parity ,the ,secretary shall  
provide that any telehealth service     
furnished using audio-only technology   
pursuant to a waiver under this         
subparagraph is reimbursed at the same  
rate at which the service would be      
reimbursed if furnished in person4  4