Advancing Connectivity during the Coronavirus to Ensure Support for Seniors Act or the ACCESS Act
This bill (1) provides appropriations for the Telehealth Resource Center Program of the Office for the Advancement of Telehealth within the Federal Office of Rural Health Policy in the Health Resources Services Administration (HRSA) to develop telehealth capacity for certain nursing facilities, and (2) directs other activities to increase access to telehealth services in such facilities during the COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) public health emergency.
HRSA shall award grants, in coordination with the Federal Communications Commission, to skilled nursing facilities and other nursing facilities to support virtual visits to residents during the emergency.
The Department of Health and Human Services must also provide recommendations related to immediately increasing access, during the emergency, to telehealth services for which Medicare and Medicaid payments are available in skilled and other nursing facilities.
[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 6487 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
116th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 6487
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
2019 (COVID-19), and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
April 10, 2020
Ms. Schakowsky (for herself and Mr. King of New York) introduced the
following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Appropriations,
and in addition to the Committees on Energy and Commerce, Ways and
Means, and the Budget, for a period to be subsequently determined by
the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall
within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned
_______________________________________________________________________
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
2019 (COVID-19), 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 ``Advancing Connectivity during the
Coronavirus to Ensure Support for Seniors Act'' or the ``ACCESS Act''.
TITLE I--SUPPLEMENTAL APPROPRIATIONS
SEC. 101. SUPPLEMENTAL APPROPRIATIONS.
The following sums are hereby appropriated, out of any money in the
Treasury not otherwise appropriated, for the fiscal year ending
September 30, 2020, and for other purposes, namely:
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 Telehealth, to provide assistance with respect to technical, legal,
regulatory service delivery or other related barriers to the
development of telehealth technologies for skilled nursing facilities
(as defined in section 1819 of the Social Security Act) and nursing
facilities (as defined in section 1919 of such Act), $50,000,000 to
remain available through September 30, 2021.
TITLE II--INCREASED ACCESS TO TELEHEALTH SERVICES AND OTHER
TECHNOLOGIES
SEC. 201. DEFINITIONS.
In this title:
(1) COVID-19 public health emergency period.--The term
``COVID-19 public health emergency period'' means the portion
of the emergency period defined in paragraph (1)(B) of section
1135(g) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1320b-5(g))
beginning on or after the date of the enactment of this Act.
(2) Medicaid program.--The term ``Medicaid program'' means,
with respect to a State, the State program under title XIX of
the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1396 et seq.) (including any
waiver or demonstration under such title or under section 1115
of such Act (42 U.S.C. 1315) relating to such title).
(3) Medicare.--The term ``Medicare'' means the program of
health insurance for the aged and disabled established under
title XVIII of the Social Security Act.
(4) Nursing facility.--The term ``nursing facility'' has
the meaning given that term in section 1919(a) of the Social
Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1396r(a)).
(5) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary
of Health and Human Services.
(6) Skilled nursing facility.--The term ``skilled nursing
facility'' has the meaning given that term in section 1819(a)
of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395i-3(a)).
(7) State.--The term ``State'' has the meaning given such
term for purposes of title XIX of the Social Security Act (42
U.S.C. 1396 et seq.).
SEC. 202. IDENTIFICATION OF BARRIERS TO NURSING FACILITIES ACCESSING
TELEHEALTH SERVICES UNDER MEDICARE AND MEDICAID DURING
THE COVID-19 PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCY.
(a) Congressional Briefing.--Not later than 15 days after the date
of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall brief the congressional
committees specified in subsection (c) on options for immediately
increasing access during the COVID-19 public health emergency period to
telehealth services for which payment is available under Medicare for
skilled nursing facilities and under Medicaid for nursing facilities.
The briefing shall also include--
(1) information regarding the extent to which access to
telehealth services is required for any facilities that are
temporarily designated during the COVID-19 public health
emergency period as participating providers under Medicare,
Medicaid, or both, for purposes of furnishing skilled nursing
services or nursing facility services to individuals who are
eligible for such services under Medicare or Medicaid; and
(2) recommendations for such administrative and legislative
actions, including with respect to funding, as the Secretary
determines are necessary.
(b) Report.--The Secretary shall submit a report to the
congressional committees specified in subsection (c) after the briefing
required under subsection (a) occurs that includes a summary of the
briefing, any new or additional information requested during such
briefing, and such other information as the Secretary determines
appropriate.
(c) Congressional Committees Specified.--The congressional
committees specified in this subsection are the following:
(1) The Committees on Energy and Commerce and Ways and
Means of the House of Representatives.
(2) The Committees on Finance, Health, Education, Labor,
and Pensions, Commerce, Science, and Transportation, and the
Special Committee on Aging of the Senate.
SEC. 203. AUTHORITY TO AWARD GRANTS TO NURSING FACILITIES FOR
SUPPORTING VIRTUAL VISITS DURING THE COVID-19 PUBLIC
HEALTH EMERGENCY.
(a) 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-19 public
health emergency period.
(b) Coordination.--The Secretary shall coordinate with the Federal
Communications Commission to ensure that all facilities awarded a grant
under this section are able to carry out the purposes described in
subsection (d), including through the provision of telecommunications
and broadband services necessary to support virtual visits described in
subsection (a).
(c) Application Requirements.--A facility seeking a grant under
this section shall submit an application to the Secretary at such time,
in such form and manner, and containing such information as the
Secretary shall require.
(d) Use of Funds.--A facility awarded a grant under this section
may only use the funds for expenditures attributable to obtaining and
using--
(1) technologies to support virtual visits described in
subsection (a); and
(2) any other items or services necessary to carry out such
visits.
(e) Limitations.--
(1) Termination of authority.--The Secretary shall not
award any grants under this section after the end of the COVID-
19 public health emergency period.
(2) Supplement, not supplant.--Federal funds paid to a
skilled nursing facility or a nursing facility pursuant to this
section must be used to supplement, but not supplant, any other
Federal, State, or local funds available to the facility that
may be used for a purpose specified in subsection (d).
(f) Guidance.--Not later than 15 days after the date of the
enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall issue guidance on steps
facilities awarded grants under this section shall take to ensure
residents of such facilities have access to virtual visitation during
the COVID-19 public health emergency period and how such access shall
be facilitated by such facilities. Such guidance shall include options
for how such facilities will ensure notification of residents and
resident representatives of such virtual visitation access and
facilitation, address how adequate support will be provided to
residents to facilitate virtual visitation, address how facilities will
ensure or enable installation and access to a device purchased for the
use or benefit of individual or multiple facility residents, and
address operational issues and avoid unnecessary barriers to timely
deployment of virtual visitation.
(g) Report.--Not later than 30 days after the end of the COVID-19
public health emergency period, the Secretary shall submit a report to
Congress on the grants awarded under this section.
(h) Appropriation.--There are appropriated to the Secretary for
fiscal year 2020, from any funds in the Treasury not otherwise
appropriated, such sums as are necessary to carry out this section, to
remain available through the last day of the month following the month
in which the COVID-19 public health emergency period ends.
TITLE III--MISCELLANEOUS
SEC. 301. EMERGENCY DESIGNATION.
(a) In General.--The amounts provided by this Act are designated as
an emergency requirement pursuant to section 4(g) of the Statutory Pay-
As-You-Go Act of 2010 (2 U.S.C. 933(g)).
(b) Designation in Senate.--In the Senate, this Act is designated
as an emergency requirement pursuant to section 4112(a) of H. Con. Res.
71 (115th Congress), the concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal
year 2018.
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the Committee on Appropriations, and in addition to the Committees on Energy and Commerce, Ways and Means, and the Budget, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Referred to the Committee on Appropriations, and in addition to the Committees on Energy and Commerce, Ways and Means, and the Budget, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Referred to the Committee on Appropriations, and in addition to the Committees on Energy and Commerce, Ways and Means, and the Budget, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Referred to the Committee on Appropriations, and in addition to the Committees on Energy and Commerce, Ways and Means, and the Budget, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
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