National Telehealth Strategy and Data Advancement Act
This bill reauthorizes through FY2025 grants administered by the Office for the Advancement of Telehealth for telehealth networks and telehealth resource centers. It also directs the Department of Health and Human Services to advance and coordinate federal telehealth efforts by, among other activities, developing a plan to align telehealth initiatives across federal agencies and standardizing certain telehealth grant processes and reporting measures.
[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 5763 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
116th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 5763
To amend the Public Health Service Act to advance telehealth by
developing a plan for adoption and coordination by Federal agencies,
and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
February 5, 2020
Mr. Gianforte (for himself and Ms. Eshoo) introduced the following
bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend the Public Health Service Act to advance telehealth by
developing a plan for adoption and coordination by Federal agencies,
and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``National Telehealth Strategy and
Data Advancement Act''.
SEC. 2. RECOMMENDATIONS ON FRAMEWORK TO ADVANCE TELEHEALTH.
(a) In General.--Section 330I of the Public Health Service Act (42
U.S.C. 254c-14) is amended--
(1) in subsection (a)--
(A) in paragraph (1) to read as follows:
``(1) Director.--The term `Director' means the Director of
the Office for the Advancement of Telehealth as established
under subsection (c).''; and
(B) in paragraph (7), by inserting ``Such term
includes connected care.'' after ``health.'';
(2) in subsection (b), by striking ``under section 301''
and inserting ``under subsection (d)'';
(3) in subsection (c)--
(A) in paragraph (1)--
(i) by striking ``Health Resources and
Services Administration'' and inserting
``Office of the Secretary''; and
(ii) by inserting ``(referred to in this
section as the `Office')'' after
``Telehealth''; and
(B) in paragraph (2), by striking ``under section
301'' and inserting ``under subsection (d)'';
(4) in subsection (h), by striking ``, in a publication of
the Health Resources and Services Administration,'' and
inserting ``on a publicly accessible website of the Department
of Health and Human Services, a''; and
(5) by striking subsection (s) and inserting the following:
``(s) Plan and Recommendations To Advance Telehealth.--
``(1) In general.--The Secretary shall--
``(A) not later than one year after the date of the
enactment of this Act develop a plan for the adoption,
advancement, and coordination of telehealth by Federal
agencies;
``(B) update every two years the plan developed
under subparagraph (A) and make recommendations to
improve access to telehealth, coordination of
telehealth by Federal agencies, and health outcomes
with respect to the use of telehealth as a means to
deliver health care services as the Secretary
determines to be appropriate;
``(C) standardize Federal telehealth grant
processes and data reporting to build a comprehensive
evidence base in order to enable high-quality and
effective use of telehealth to deliver health care
services;
``(D) provide assistance to regional and national
entities to enable greater use of telehealth in health
care delivery by individuals, health care providers,
cities, and States;
``(E) provide Federal governance and oversight of
Federal expenditures on telehealth and broadband that
facilitate the delivery of telehealth services; and
``(F) ensure information sharing, cross-Federal
collaboration, and accountability across all Federal
agencies.
``(2) Recommendations.--The plan under paragraph (1)(A)
shall include recommendations to address each of the following:
``(A) Achieving a standardized application system
for Federal telehealth grants across the Department of
Health and Human Services, the Department of
Agriculture, the Department of Defense, and other
agencies as the Secretary determines to be appropriate.
``(B) Establishing a publicly available database of
all telehealth grants across Federal agencies.
``(C) Establishing a standardized set of outcome
measures with a focus on cost and quality of care
delivered via telehealth.
``(D) Requiring recipients of Federal telehealth
grants to report standardized outcomes measures.
``(E) Standardizing data collection and reporting
across recipients of Federal telehealth grants.
``(F) Developing a public repository for data
reported for research purposes through the standardized
set of outcome measures under subparagraph (C) by
recipients of Federal telehealth grants.
``(G) Protecting information disclosed in
subparagraph (F) by applying the provisions of the
HIPAA privacy regulation (as defined in section
1180(b)(3) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1320d-
9)) to the entity receiving and disclosing such
information in the same manner as such provisions would
apply to such information if received or disclosed by a
covered entity (as such term is defined for purposes of
such regulation).
``(H) Incentivizing research on reported data to
build a strong base of evidence on the impacts of
telehealth on cost and quality of care.
``(I) Additional priority target areas as
determined appropriate by the Secretary.
``(3) Consultation.--In developing recommendations under
subparagraphs (A) through (E) of paragraph (2), the Secretary
shall consult with the following individuals or their
designees:
``(A) The heads of each agency, division, element,
or organization under the Department of Health and
Human Services.
``(B) The Secretary of Veterans Affairs.
``(C) The Secretary of Defense.
``(D) The Director of the Office of Management and
Budget.
``(E) The Comptroller General of the United States.
``(F) The Chairman of the Federal Communications
Commission.
``(G) The Chairman of the Federal Trade Commission.
``(H) The Director of the National Institute of
Standards and Technology.
``(I) The Director of the National Science
Foundation.
``(J) The Administrator of the National Aeronautics
and Space Administration.
``(K) The head of any other Federal agency that the
Secretary determines to be appropriate.
``(4) Public comment period.--Not later than 3 months after
developing the plan required under paragraph (1)(A), the
Secretary shall publish in the Federal Register a notice
providing for an opportunity for the public to comment on the
recommendations developed under subparagraphs (A) through (E)
of paragraph (2).
``(5) Reports.--
``(A) In general.--The Secretary shall submit to
Congress a biennial report on Federal expenditures on
telehealth and the progress of agencies adopting and
effectively using telehealth.
``(B) Elements of report.--Each report shall
include the following:
``(i) An update on Federal investments in
telehealth.
``(ii) An assessment of the percentage of
the costs of health care services delivered via
telehealth that are paid using Federal funds.
``(iii) An update on efforts to improve
access to telehealth.
``(t) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be
appropriated to carry out this section--
``(1) for grants under subsection (d)(1), $30,000,000 for
each of fiscal years 2021 through 2025;
``(2) for grants under subsection (d)(2), $10,000,000 for
each of fiscal years 2021 through 2025; and
``(3) for the activities described in subsection (s),
$10,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2021 through 2025.''.
(b) Conforming Amendment.--Section 330K(b)(1) of the Public Health
Service Act (42 U.S.C. 254c-16(b)(1)) is amended by striking ``Health
Resources and Services Administration'' and inserting ``Office of the
Secretary''.
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR H767)
Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
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