Rural Telehealth Access Task Force Act
This bill establishes the Rural Telehealth Access Task Force to identify, evaluate, and recommend ways to increase adoption of telehealth services and access to broadband internet in rural areas.
[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 5506 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
117th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 5506
To establish a Rural Telehealth Access Task Force to determine how to
address barriers to the adoption of telehealth technology and access to
broadband internet access service in rural areas, and for other
purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
October 8, 2021
Mr. Pence (for himself and Ms. Craig) introduced the following bill;
which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in
addition to the Committee on Agriculture, 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 establish a Rural Telehealth Access Task Force to determine how to
address barriers to the adoption of telehealth technology and access to
broadband internet access service in rural areas, 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 ``Rural Telehealth Access Task Force
Act''.
SEC. 2. RURAL TELEHEALTH ACCESS TASK FORCE.
(a) Establishment.--Not later than 90 days after the date of the
enactment of this section, the Commission shall establish a task force
to be known as the ``Rural Telehealth Access Task Force'' (in this
section referred to as the ``Task Force'').
(b) Membership.--The Task Force shall be composed of the following:
(1) The Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications
and Information.
(2) The Secretary of Agriculture.
(3) The Secretary of Health and Human Services.
(4) The Chairperson of the Federal Communications
Commission.
(5) The Secretary of Veterans Affairs.
(c) Chairperson.--The Chairperson of the Federal Communications
Commission shall serve as the Chairperson of the Task Force.
(d) Duties.--The Task Force shall carry out the following duties:
(1) Identify barriers and opportunities to telehealth
service in rural areas.
(2) Identify barriers to, and opportunities for,
utilization of telehealth services in rural areas.
(3) Identify opportunities for coordination among covered
agencies and across high-cost programs to prevent duplication
of effort or overbuilding of existing or planned broadband
internet access service projects.
(4) Evaluate the adoption and usage rates of telehealth
services in rural areas.
(5) Evaluate how expanded access to telehealth services can
address health disparities in rural patients.
(6) Determine how to expand access to broadband internet
access service for telehealth services in rural areas,
including--
(A) rural health systems; and
(B) internet service providers.
(7) Develop recommendations on how to use current high cost
broadband resources to expand access to telehealth services in
rural areas.
(e) Information Sharing.--The covered agencies shall share
information with the Task Force on existing or planned broadband
internet access service projects that may be useful in carrying out the
duties of the Task Force in subsection (c).
(f) Report.--Not later than 18 months after the date of enactment
of this section, the Commission shall submit to Congress a report
that--
(1) details the findings and recommendations of the Task
Force; and
(2) includes an identification of other telehealth issues
or recommendations that the Task Forces determines is
appropriate.
(g) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) Broadband internet access service.--The term
``broadband internet access service'' has the meaning give such
term in section 8.1(b) of title 47, Code of Federal
Regulations.
(2) Commission.--The term ``Commission'' means the Federal
Communications Commission.
(3) Covered agency.--The term ``covered agency'' means--
(A) the Commission;
(B) the Department of Agriculture;
(C) the Department of Health and Human Services;
and
(D) the National Telecommunications and Information
Administration.
(4) High-cost program.--The term ``high-cost program''
includes the following:
(A) Subpart D of title 47, Code of Federal
Regulations (commonly known as ``Universal Service
Support for High Cost Areas'').
(B) Subpart J of title 47, Code of Federal
Regulations (commonly known as the ``Remote Areas
Fund'').
(C) Subpart K of title 47, Code of Federal
Regulations (commonly known as the ``Interstate Common
Line Support Mechanism for Rate-of-Return Carriers'').
(D) Subpart L of title 47, Code of Federal
Regulations (commonly known as the ``Mobility Fund'').
(E) Subpart M of title 47, Code of Federal
Regulations (commonly known as the ``High Cost Loop
Support for Rate-of-Return Carriers'').
(F) The connected care pilot program (85 Fed. Reg.
19896).
(G) Section 1734 of title 7, Code of Federal
Regulations (commonly known as the ``Distance Learning
and Telemedicine Grant Program'').
(H) The COVID-19 telehealth program (86 Fed. Reg.
8356).
(I) Section 902 of the Consolidated Appropriations
Act, 2021 (Public Law 116-133).
(J) Section 905(c) of the Consolidated
Appropriations Act, 2021 (Public Law 116-133).
(5) Rural; rural area.--The terms ``rural'' and ``rural
area'' mean any area other than a city or town that has a
population greater than 50,000 inhabitants.
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Agriculture, 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 Agriculture, 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 Communications and Technology.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Commodity Exchanges, Energy, and Credit.
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