Knowing the Efficiency and Efficacy of Permanent Telehealth Options Act of 2020 or the KEEP Telehealth Options Act of 2020
This bill requires the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to report on the availability and effects of expanded telehealth services under Medicare, Medicaid, and the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) during the public health emergency relating to COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019).
Among other information, HHS must detail its actions during the emergency to expand access to telehealth services and must analyze telehealth usage by certain demographic groups. The GAO must report on the efficiency and management of the telehealth expansion and related risks of fraudulent activity.
[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 7233 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
116th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 7233
To direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services and the
Comptroller General of the United States to conduct studies and report
to Congress on actions taken to expand access to telehealth services
under the Medicare, Medicaid, and Children's Health Insurance programs
during the COVID-19 emergency.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
June 18, 2020
Mr. Balderson (for himself, Mrs. Axne, Mr. Williams, and Mr. Gibbs)
introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on
Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Ways and
Means, 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 direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services and the
Comptroller General of the United States to conduct studies and report
to Congress on actions taken to expand access to telehealth services
under the Medicare, Medicaid, and Children's Health Insurance programs
during the COVID-19 emergency.
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 ``Knowing the Efficiency and Efficacy
of Permanent Telehealth Options Act of 2020'' or the ``KEEP Telehealth
Options Act of 2020''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
Congress finds the following:
(1) On January 21, 2020, the United States confirmed the
Nation's first case of the 2019 novel coronavirus (which
presents as the disease COVID-19).
(2) On January 31, 2020, the Secretary of Health and Human
Services (in this Act referred to as the ``Secretary'')
declared a public health emergency in response to COVID-19.
(3) By March, the disease reached the pandemic level
according to the World Health Organization, and the President
proclaimed the COVID-19 outbreak in the United States to
constitute a national emergency.
(4) This emergency declaration authorizes the Secretary
``to temporarily waive or modify certain requirements of the
Medicare, Medicaid, and State Children's Health Insurance
programs and of the Health Insurance Portability and
Accountability Act Privacy Rule throughout the duration of the
public health emergency declared in response to the COVID-19
outbreak''.
(5) Under this authority, the Secretary, and the
Administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
(in this Act referred to as the ``Administrator'') acting under
the Secretary's authority, issued numerous rules, regulations,
and waivers enabling the expansion of telehealth services
during the public health emergency.
(6) Telehealth services play a critical role in enhancing
access to care for patients while simultaneously reducing the
risk of exposure to the coronavirus for both patients and
providers.
(7) The Administrator expanded access to telehealth
services under the public health emergency to all Medicare
beneficiaries (including clinician-provided services to new and
established patients).
(8) On April 23, 2020, the Administrator released a
telehealth toolkit to assist States in expanding the use of
telehealth through Medicaid and CHIP.
(9) Expanded telehealth options are valuable for all
Americans during this public health crisis, but especially for
high-risk patients and rural Americans who already have
difficulty accessing care.
SEC. 3. STUDIES AND REPORTS ON THE EXPANSION OF ACCESS TO TELEHEALTH
SERVICES DURING THE COVID-19 EMERGENCY.
(a) HHS.--
(1) In general.--Not later than 180 days after the date of
the enactment of this Act, the Secretary, in consultation with
the Administrator, shall conduct a study and submit to Congress
a report on actions taken by the Secretary during the emergency
period described in section 1135(g)(1)(B) of the Social
Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1320b-5(g)(1)(B)) to expand access to
telehealth services under the Medicare program, the Medicaid
program, and the Children's Health Insurance program. Such
report shall include the following:
(A) A comprehensive list of telehealth services
available under the programs described in paragraph (1)
and an explanation of all actions undertaken by the
Secretary during the emergency period described in such
paragraph to expand access to such services.
(B) A comprehensive list of types of providers that
may be reimbursed for such services furnished under
such programs during such period, including a list of
services which may only be reimbursed under such
programs during such period if furnished by such
providers in-person.
(C) A quantitative analysis of the use of such
telehealth services under such programs during such
period, including data points on use by rural,
minority, low-income, and elderly populations.
(D) A quantitative analysis of the use of such
services under such programs during such period for
mental and behavioral health treatments.
(E) An analysis of the public health impacts of the
actions described in subparagraph (A).
(2) Publication of report.--Not later than 180 days after
the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall
publish on the public website of the Department of Health and
Human Services the report described in paragraph (1).
(b) GAO.--
(1) In general.--Not later than 210 days after the date of
enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General of the United
States shall conduct a study and submit to Congress a report
on--
(A) the efficiency, management, and success and
failures of the expansion of access to telehealth
services under the Medicare, Medicaid, and Children's
Health Insurance programs during the emergency period
described in subsection (a)(1); and
(B) any risk in increased fraudulent activity, and
types of fraudulent activity, associated with such
expansion.
(2) Recommendations.--The report submitted under paragraph
(1) shall include recommendations on--
(A) potential improvements to telehealth services,
and expansions of such services, under the programs
described in paragraph (1)(A); and
(B) ways to address any fraudulent activity
described in paragraph (1)(B).
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Ways and Means, 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 Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Ways and Means, 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.
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