Increasing Rural Health Access During the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency Act of 2020
This bill establishes, as part of certain grants for telehealth networks and resource centers, a pilot project to increase the use of remote patient monitoring technology in rural areas during the COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) emergency. Specifically, the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) must award grants to eligible entities in rural areas to coordinate care for individuals with chronic conditions and conduct other activities using remote patient monitoring technology.
Eligible entities must meet requirements for participating in telehealth networks and must use appropriate technologies. Grant funds may be used, for example, to develop or acquire computer hardware and other equipment. In awarding these grants, HRSA shall give priority to entities that are capable of establishing programs quickly and that use technologies that provide continuous, real-time coaching services.
[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 7190 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
116th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 7190
To amend the Public Health Service Act to provide for the establishment
of a virtual health pilot program to facilitate utilization of remote
patient monitoring technology to maintain or expand access to health
care services for individuals in rural areas during the COVID-19
emergency period, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
June 11, 2020
Ms. Torres Small of New Mexico (for herself and Mr. Newhouse)
introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on
Energy and Commerce
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend the Public Health Service Act to provide for the establishment
of a virtual health pilot program to facilitate utilization of remote
patient monitoring technology to maintain or expand access to health
care services for individuals in rural areas during the COVID-19
emergency period, 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 ``Increasing Rural Health Access
During the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency Act of 2020''.
SEC. 2. INCREASING RURAL HEALTH ACCESS DURING THE COVID-19 PUBLIC
HEALTH EMERGENCY.
(a) Definitions.--Subsection (a) of section 330I of the Public
Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 254c-14) is amended--
(1) by redesignating paragraphs (1) through (7) as
paragraphs (2), (3), (4), (5), (6), (8), and (9), respectively;
(2) by inserting before paragraph (2), as redesignated, the
following new paragraph:
``(1) COVID-19 emergency period.--The term `COVID-19
emergency period' means the period beginning on the date of
enactment of the Increasing Rural Health Access During the
COVID-19 Public Health Emergency Act of 2020 and ending on the
date on which the national emergency declared by the President
under the National Emergencies Act with respect to the COVID-19
outbreak in the United States expires.''; and
(3) by inserting before paragraph (8), as redesignated, the
following:
``(7) Remote patient monitoring technology.--The term
`remote patient monitoring technology' means digital
technologies used to collect medical and other forms of health
data from individuals in one location and electronically
transmit such data securely to health care providers in a
different location for assessment, recommendations, and
interventions.''.
(b) Programs.--Subsection (b) of section 330I of the Public Health
Service Act (42 U.S.C. 254c-14) is amended--
(1) by striking ``The Secretary shall establish, under
section 301'' and inserting the following:
``(1) In general.--The Secretary shall establish, under
section 301''; and
(2) by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
``(2) Virtual health pilot program.--The Secretary shall
establish a virtual health pilot program to facilitate
utilization of remote patient monitoring technology to maintain
or expand access to health care services for individuals in
rural areas during the COVID-19 emergency period.''.
(c) Grants.--Subsection (d) of section 330I of the Public Health
Service Act (42 U.S.C. 254c-14) is amended by adding at the end the
following new paragraph:
``(3) Virtual health network pilot program grants.--The
Director shall, in carrying out the virtual health pilot
program referred to in subsection (b)(2), award grants to
eligible entities to facilitate utilization of remote patient
monitoring technology in rural areas to--
``(A) maintain or expand access to, and coordinate
health care services for, individuals with chronic
conditions;
``(B) improve and expand the training of health
care providers using remote patient monitoring
technology; and
``(C) minimize challenges facing health care
providers and health care facilities, including rural
health clinics, community health centers, community
behavioral health centers, long-term care facilities,
and rural hospitals, as such providers and facilities
serve their communities especially during the COVID-19
emergency period.''.
(d) Grant Periods.--Subsection (e) of section 330I of the Public
Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 254c-14) is amended--
(1) by striking ``The Director may award grants under this
section'' and inserting the following:
``(1) Telehealth network and telehealth research center
grants.--The Director may award grants under paragraphs (1) and
(2) of subsection (d)''; and
(2) by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
``(2) Virtual health network pilot program grants.--The
Director shall--
``(A) not later than 30 days after the date of
enactment of Increasing Rural Health Access During the
COVID-19 Public Health Emergency Act of 2020, issue a
notice of the availability of funding through grants
under subsection (d)(3); and
``(B) not later than 90 days after the date of
issuance of the notice required by subparagraph (A),
award all grants under subsection (d)(3).''.
(e) Eligible Entities.--Subsection (f) of section 330I of the
Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 254c-14) is amended by adding at
the end the following:
``(4) Virtual health network pilot program grants.--To be
eligible to receive a grant under subsection (d)(3), an entity
shall--
``(A) meet the requirements of paragraphs (1), (2),
and (3) of this subsection that apply to an entity
seeking a grant under subsection (d)(1);
``(B) be located in a rural area; and
``(C) demonstrate that the entity will provide
services using remote patient monitoring technology
that is--
``(i) cellular enabled;
``(ii) approved, cleared, or authorized by
the Food and Drug Administration; and
``(iii) operable using cellular standards,
including 2G and 3G, that offer broad network
coverage in rural areas without broadband
access, as determined by the Secretary.''.
(f) Applications.--Subsection (g) of section 330I of the Public
Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 254c-14) is amended--
(1) by redesignating paragraphs (1) through (8) as
subparagraphs (A) through (H), respectively, and moving the
margin of each such redesignated subparagraph 2 ems to the
right;
(2) by striking ``To be eligible to receive a grant under
subsection (d)'' and inserting the following:
``(1) Telehealth network and telehealth research center
grants.--To be eligible to receive a grant under paragraph (1)
or (2) of subsection (d)''; and
(3) by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
``(2) Virtual health network pilot program grants.--To be
eligible to receive a grant under subsection (d)(3), an
eligible entity shall prepare and submit to the Secretary an
application at such time, in such manner, and containing such
information as the Secretary may require and include in such
application--
``(A) a description of the project that the
eligible entity will carry out using the funds provided
under the grant;
``(B) a description of the manner in which the
project funded under the grant will meet the health
care needs of rural or other populations to be served
through the project, or maintain or improve access to
services of, and the quality of the services received
by, those populations;
``(C) information on the source and amount of non-
Federal funds that the entity will provide for the
project; and
``(D) evidence of intent to provide services using
remote patient monitoring technology as described in
subsection (f)(4)(C).''.
(g) Preferences.--Subsection (h) of section 330I of the Public
Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 254c-14) is amended by adding at the end
the following new paragraph:
``(3) Virtual health network pilot program grants.--In
awarding grants under subsection (d)(3), the Secretary shall
give preference to any eligible entity that--
``(A) is able to establish a virtual health program
using remote patient monitoring technology within 60
days of receipt of the award; and
``(B) proposes to use Federal funds made available
through such a grant to establish and furnish services
using remote patient monitoring technology that
provides real time, continuous coaching services.''.
(h) Use of Funds.--Subsection (j) of section 330I of the Public
Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 254c-14) is amended by adding at the end
the following new paragraph:
``(3) Virtual health network pilot program grants.--The
recipient of a grant under subsection (d)(3) may use funds
received through such grant for salaries, equipment, and
operating or other costs for--
``(A) developing and delivering services using
remote patient monitoring technology that enhance
access to community-based health care services in rural
areas;
``(B) developing and acquiring, through lease or
purchase, computer hardware and software, audio and
video equipment, computer network equipment,
interactive equipment, data terminal equipment, and
other equipment that furthers the objectives of the
virtual health pilot program;
``(C)(i) providing for transmission of medical
data, and maintenance of equipment; and
``(ii) providing for compensation (including travel
expenses) of specialists, and referring health care
providers, who are providing virtual health services
through remote patient monitoring technology if no
third-party payment is available;
``(D) collecting and analyzing usage statistics and
data to document the cost-effectiveness of services
using remote patient monitoring technology; and
``(E) carrying out such other activities as are
consistent with achieving the objectives of the virtual
health pilot program, as determined by the
Secretary.''.
(i) Funding.--Subsection (q) of section 330I of the Public Health
Service Act (42 U.S.C. 254c-14) is amended--
(1) in the subsection heading, by striking ``Authorization
of Appropriations'' and inserting ``Funding'';
(2) by striking ``There are authorized to be appropriated
to carry out this section'' and inserting the following:
``(1) Telehealth network and telehealth research center
grants.--To carry out this section with respect to grants under
paragraphs (1) and (2) of subsection (d), there is authorized
to be appropriated''; and
(3) by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
``(2) Virtual health network pilot program grants.--To
carry out this section with respect to the virtual health pilot
program under subsection (b)(2), including grants under
subsection (d)(3), there is authorized to be appropriated
$50,000,000, to remain available through the end of the COVID-
19 emergency period.''.
(j) Report.--Not later than two years after awarding all grants
under subsection (d)(3) of section 330I of the Public Health Service
Act, as added by this section, the Secretary of Health and Human
Services shall prepare and submit to the Committee on Energy and
Commerce of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Health,
Education, Labor, and Pensions of the Senate a report on the activities
and outcomes of the pilot program under subsection (b)(2) of section
330I of such Act, as added by this section.
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
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