Please find recent COVID-related legislation below that the Alliance for Connected Care is tracking due to significant telehealth or remote patient monitoring provisions.
| Introduced Legislation | Bill Number | Sponsor | Support | Summary | Committee of Jurisdiction | Date Introduced |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Permanency for Audio-Only Telehealth Act | H.R. 9035 | Rep. Smith (R-MO) | Bipartisan (1) | The Permanency for Audio-Only Telehealth Act would expand accessibility to certain telehealth services under the Medicare program. | House Ways & Means, Energy & Commerce | December 18 |
| Expanded Telehealth Access Act | H.R. 8755 | Rep. Sherrill (D-NJ) | Bipartisan (13) | The Expanded Telehealth Access Act would expand the scope of practitioners eligible for payment for telehealth services under the Medicare program. | House Energy & Commerce, Ways & Means | November 16 |
| Home Health Emergency Access to Telehealth (HEAT) Act | S. 4854/H.R. 8677 | Senate: Sen. Collins (R-ME) House: Rep. Marshall (R-KS) | Senate: Bipartisan (1) House: Bipartisan (3) | The HEAT Act would provide payments for home health services furnished via visual or audio telecommunication systems during an emergency period. | Senate Finance House Energy & Commerce, Ways & Means | October 23 |
| Safe Testing at Residence Telehealth (START) Act | H.R. 8642 | Rep. Schweikert (R-AZ) | Bipartisan (2) | The START Act would provide coverage and payment for certain tests and assistive telehealth consultations during the COVID-19 emergency period. | House Energy & Commerce, Ways & Means | October 20 |
| H.R. 8528H.R. 8528H.R. 8528 | H.R. 8528 | Rep. Williams (R-TX) | Partisan (0) | H.R. 8528 would extend certain provisions relating to telehealth services. | House Ways & Means, Energy & Commerce | October 2 |
| Telehealth Improvement for Kids’ Essential Services (TIKES) Act of 2020 | H.R. 8476 | Rep. Blunt Rochester (D-DE) | Bipartisan (1) | The TIKES Act would provide for strategies to increase access to telehealth under the Medicaid program and Children's Health Insurance Program. | House Energy & Commerce | October 1 |
| PREVENT Diabetes Act | S. 4709/H.R. 8861 | Senate: Sen. Scott (R-SC) House: Rep. Rice (R-SC) | Senate: Bipartisan (5) House: Bipartisan (3) | The PREVENT Diabetes Act would would permit Centers for Disease Control and Prevention-recognized virtual diabetes prevention program suppliers to be included in the Medicare Diabetes Prevention Program Expanded Model conducted by the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation under section 1115A of the Social Security Act. | Senate Finance House Ways & Means, Energy & Commerce | Senate: September 24 House: December 3 |
| H.R. 8308 | H.R. 8308 | Rep. Phillips (D-MN) | Bipartisan (2) | H.R. 8308 would require group health plans and health insurance issuers offering group or individual health insurance coverage to provide coverage for services furnished via telehealth if such services would be covered if furnished in-person. | House Energy & Commerce | September 17 |
| Ensuring Telehealth Expansion Act of 2020 | H.R. 8156 | Rep. Williams (R-TX) | Partisan (0) | The Ensuring Telehealth Expansion Act of 2020 would extend certain provisions relating to telehealth services through December 31, 2025. | House Ways & Means, Energy & Commerce | September 1 |
| Telehealth Act | H.R. 7992 | Rep. Wagner (R-MO) | Partisan (0) | The Telehealth Act includes a package of nine telehealth bills introduced by Republicans to expand access to telehealth services. | House Energy & Commerce, Ways & Means, Judiciary, Veteran's Affairs | August 7 |
| ACCESS the Internet Act | S. 4515 | Sen. Manchin (D-WV) | Bipartisan (1) | The ACCESS the Internet Act would authorize $2 billion in funding for distance learning and telehealth initiatives including $400 million for FCC's COVID-19 Telehealth Program. | Senate Appropriations | August 6 |
| Temporary Reciprocity to Ensure Access to Treatment (TREAT) Act | S. 4421 | Sen. Murphy (D-CT | Bipartisan (2) | The TREAT Act would provide temporary licensing reciprocity for telehealth and interstate health care treatment. | Senate HELP | August 4 |
| Telehealth Modernization Act | S. 4375 | Sen. Alexander (R-TN) | Partisan (0) | The Telehealth Modernization Act would make permanent certain telehealth flexibilities under the Medicare program related to the COVID-19 public health emergency. | Senate Finance | July 30 |
| VA Telehealth Expansion Act | H.R. 7879 | Rep. Lee (D-NV) | Bipartisan (3) | The VA Telehealth Expansion Act would direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to establish a grant program to expand and improve the provision of telehealth services to veterans. | House Veterans' Affairs | July 30 |
| COVID-19 Telehealth Program Extension Act | H.R. 7760/S. 4794 | Rep. Spanberger (D-VA) Sen. Smith (D-MN) | House: Bipartisan (13) Senate: Bipartisan (1) | The COVID-19 Telehealth Program Extension Act would make a supplemental appropriation for the COVID-19 Telehealth Program of the Federal Communications Commission for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2020. | House Appropriations, Budget Senate Appropriations | House: July 23 Senate: October 1 |
| The COVID-19 Emergency Telehealth Impact Reporting Act of 2020 | H.R. 7695/S. 4289 | Rep. Curtis (R-UT) Sen. Young (R-IN) | House: Bipartisan (2) Senate: Bipartisan (2) | The COVID-19 Emergency Telehealth Impact Reporting Act of 2020 would require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to collect, analyze, and report qualitative and quantitative data on the use of telehealth during the COVID-19 public health emergency. | House Energy & Commerce, Ways & Means Senate Finance | House: July 21 Senate: July 22 |
| Telehealth Expansion Act of 2020 | S. 4230 | Sen. Wyden (D-OR) | Partisan (1) | The Telehealth Expansion Act of 2020 would expand access to mental health services and certain evaluation and management services furnished through telehealth under the Medicare program. | Senate Finance | July 20 |
| Ensuring Parity in MA for Audio-Only Telehealth Act of 2020 | H.R. 7659/S. 4840 | House: Rep. Sewell (D-AL) Senate: Sen. Roberts (R-KS) | House Bipartisan (9) Senate: Bipartisan (3) | The Ensuring Parity in MA for Audio-Only Telehealth Act would require the inclusion of certain audio-only diagnoses in the determination of risk adjustment for Medicare Advantage plans. | House Energy & Commerce, Ways & Means | House: July 16 Senate: October 21 |
| Protecting Access to Post COVID-19 Telehealth Act of 2020 | H.R. 7663 | Rep. Thompson (D-CA) | Bipartisan (12) | The Protecting Access to Post COVID-19 Telehealth Act of 2020 would authorize the Secretary of Health and Human Services to waive or modify application of Medicare requirements with respect to telehealth services during any emergency period. | House Energy & Commerce, Ways & Means | July 16 |
| Facilitating Reforms that Offer Necessary Telehealth in Every Rural (FRONTIER) Community Act | S. 4211/H.R. 7571 | Sen. Sullivan (R-AK) Rep. Young (R-AK) | Senate: Bipartisan (1) House: Partisan (0) | The FRONTIER Community Act would expand access in frontier States to mental health services furnished through telehealth. | Senate Finance House Ways & Means, Energy & Commerce, Agriculture | Senate: July 2 House: July 9 |
| Telehealth Response for E-prescribing Addiction Therapy Services (TREATS) Act | S. 4103/H.R. 7593 | Sen. Portman (R-OH) Rep. McKinley (R-WV) | Senate: Bipartisan (1) House: Bipartisan (5) | The TREATS Act would increase the use of telehealth for substance use disorder treatment. | Senate HELP House Energy & Commerce, Ways & Means, Judiciary | Senate: June 30 House: July 13 |
| Protect Telehealth Access Act | H.R. 7391 | Rep. Sherrill (D-NJ) | Bipartisan (6) | The Protect Telehealth Access Act would remove certain geographic and originating site restrictions on the furnishing of telehealth services under the Medicare program | House Financial Services | June 26 |
| Advancing Telehealth Beyond COVID-19 Act | H.R. 7338 | Rep. Cheney (R-WY) | Partisan (5) | The Advancing Telehealth Beyond COVID-19 Act would permit the Secretary of Health and Human Services to waive requirements relating to the furnishing of telehealth services under the Medicare program. | House Energy & Commerce, Ways & Means | June 25 |
| TELEHEALTH HSA Act | S. 4039 | Sen. Loeffler (R-GA) | Partisan (0) | The TELEHEALTH HSA Act would make permanent the permissible first-dollar coverage of telehealth services for purposes of health savings accounts. | Senate Finance | June 23 |
| Mental and Behavioral Health Connectivity Act | S. 3999 | Sen. King (I-ME) | Bipartisan (3) | The Mental and Behavioral Health Connectivity Act would ensure access to mental health and behavioral health services furnished through telehealth under the Medicare program. | Senate Finance | June 18 |
| Improving Telehealth for Underserved Communities Act | S. 3998 | Sen. Hyde-Smith (R-MS) | Bipartisan (5) | The Improving Telehealth for Underserved Communities Act would simplify payments for telehealth services furnished by Federally qualified health centers or rural health clinics under the Medicare program. | Senate Finance | June 18 |
| KEEP Telehealth Options Act | H.R. 7233/S. 4216 | Rep. Balderson (R-OH) Sen. Fischer (R-NE) | House: Bipartisan (24) Senate: Bipartisan (1) | The KEEP Telehealth Options Act would 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. | House Ways & Means, Energy & Commerce Senate Finance | House: June 18 Senate: July 20 |
| Equal Access to Care Act | S. 3993 | Sen. Cruz (R-TX) | Partisan (1) | The Equal Access to Care Act would permit a licensed health care provider to provide health care services to individuals in one or more States in which the provider is not licensed. | Senate HELP | June 17 |
| Enhancing Preparedness through Telehealth Act | S. 3988 | Sen. Cassidy (R-LA) | Bipartisan (3) | The Enhancing Preparedness through Telehealth Act directs the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to inventory telehealth programs across the country to learn how telehealth can be used more effectively in future health emergencies. | Senate HELP | June 17 |
| Helping Ensure Access to Local TeleHealth (HEALTH) Act | H.R. 7187 | Rep. Thompson (R-PA) | Bipartisan (10) | The HEALTH Act would provide for permanent payments for telehealth services furnished by Federally qualified health centers and rural health clinics under the Medicare program. | House Energy & Commerce, Ways & Means | June 11 |
| Increasing Rural Health Access During the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency Act | H.R. 7190/S. 3951 | Rep. Torres Small (D-NM) Sen. McSally (R-AZ) | House: Bipartisan (7) Senate: Bipartisan (1) | The Increasing Rural Health Access During the COVID-19 PHE would 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. | House Energy & Commerce Senate HELP | June 11 |
| Home-Based Telemental Health Care Act | S. 3917 | Sen. Rounds (R-SD) | Bipartisan (8) | The Home-Based Telemental Health Care Act, which would establish a home-based telemental health care demonstration program for purposes of increasing mental health services in rural medically underserved populations and for individuals in farming, fishing, and forestry occupations. | Senate HELP | June 9 |
| Tele-Mental Health Improvement Act | S. 3792/H.R. 8060 | Sen. Smith (D-MN) Rep. Trone (D-MD) | Senate: Bipartisan (1) House: Bipartisan (1) | The Tele-Mental Health Improvement Act would require parity in the coverage of mental health and substance use disorder services provided to enrollees in private insurance plans, whether such services are provided in-person or through telehealth. | Senate HELP House Energy & Commerce, Ways & Means, Education & Labor | Senate: May 21 House: August 14 |
| Health Care at Home Act of 2020 | H.R. 6644/S. 3741 | Rep. Schrier (D-WA) Sen. Smith (D-MN) | House: Bipartisan (28) Senate: Partisan (8) | The Health Care at Home Act of 2020 would require group health plans and health insurance issuers offering group or individual health insurance coverage to provide coverage for services furnished via telehealth if such services would be covered if furnished in-person during the COVID-19 emergency. | House Energy & Commerce, Ways & Means, Education & Labor Senate HELP | House: April 28 Senate: May 14 |
| Emergency COVID-19 Telehealth Response Act | H.R. 6634 | Rep. Axne (D-IA) | Bipartisan (1) | The Emergency COVID-19 Telehealth Response Act would ensure that physical therapists, occupational therapists, speech pathologists, audiologists, and clinical social workers can receive telehealth reimbursement rates from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS) while providing necessary health services during COVID-19. | House Energy & Commerce, Ways & Means | April 28 |
| Modernized Medicine Act | H.R. 6538 | Rep. Kennedy (D-MA) | Bipartisan (2) | The Modernized Medicine Act would provide for a temporary increase in Federal financial participation under the Medicaid program to incent telehealth services. | House Energy & Commerce | April 17 |
| H.R. 6489 - To improve military family readiness | H.R. 6489 | Rep. Thornberry (R-TX) | Partisan (5) | H.R. 6489 would improve military family readiness. Specifically, it would require the Secretary of Defense to submit a report which contains a plan to provide behavioral health treatment to members of the Armed Forces and covered beneficiaries using telehealth services and other technologies. | House Armed Services | April 10 |
| CARE for COVID-19 Act 2.0 | H.R. 6486 | Rep. Ruiz (D-CA) | Partisan (1) | The CARE for COVID-19 Act 2.0 would require group health plans and health insurance issuers offering group or individual health insurance coverage to provide coverage without any cost sharing for medically necessary items and services including in-person or telehealth visits furnished to an individual who has or is presumed to have COVID-19. | House Energy & Commerce, Ways & Means, Education & Labor | April 10 |
| Healthcare Broadband Expansion During COVID-19 Act | H.R. 6474/S. 3838 | Rep. Eshoo (D-CA) Sen. Schatz (D-HI) | House: Bipartisan (27) Senate: Bipartisan (7) | The Healthcare Broadband Expansion During COVID-19 Act would provide $2 billion to expand telehealth and high-quality internet connectivity at public and nonprofit healthcare facilities. | House Energy & Commerce Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation | House: April 10 Senate: May 21 |
| Take Responsibility for Workers and Families Act | H.R. 6379 | Rep. Lowey (D-NY) | Partisan (9) | The Take Responsibility for Workers and Families Act would provide $258 million for the ReConnect program, $25 million for Distance Learning and Telemedicine, $200 million for the FCC, $330 million to HRSA to develop a telephonic and virtual care platform, $17.2 billion to support healthcare access for Veterans including among other things expanding telehealth and other appropriations. | House Appropriations, Budget, Ways & Means | March 23 |
| Telehealth Expansion Act (Became part of the CARES Act – Enacted March 27) | S. 3539 | Sen. Daines (R-MT) | Partisan (0) | The Telehealth Expansion Act would amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to exempt telehealth services from certain high deductible health plan rules during the public health emergency. | Senate Finance | March 19 |
| Advancing Connectivity during the Coronavirus to Ensure Support for Seniors (ACCESS) Act | S. 3517/H.R. 6487 | Sen. Klobuchar (D-MN), Rep. Schakowsky (D-IL) | Senate: Bipartisan (3) House: Bipartisan (83) | The ACCESS Act would authorize an emergency supplemental appropriation of $50 million for the Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) Telehealth Resource Center to assist nursing facilities receiving funding through Medicare or Medicaid in expanding their use of telehealth services and require the Secretary to study ways to use telehealth in existing and newly designated nursing facilities, and establish an HHS grant program for facilities developing virtual visit platforms. | Senate Finance House Appropriations, Energy & Commerce, Ways & Means, Budget | Senate: March 18 House: April 10 |
| Reducing Unnecessary Senior Hospitalizations (RUSH) Act of 2020 | S. 3447/H.R. 6209 | Sen. Thune (R-SD), Rep. Kuster (D-NH) | Senate: Partisan (1) House: Bipartisan (4) | The RUSH Act would facilitate greater use of telehealth in skilled nursing facilities. The legislation would establish a program to allow qualified group practices to furnish certain items and services at qualified skilled nursing facilities to individuals entitled to benefits under part A and enrolled under part B of the Medicare program to reduce unnecessary hospitalizations. | Senate Finance House Ways & Means, Energy & Commerce | March 11 |
| Passed Legislation | Bill Number | Summary | Date Signed Into Law |
|---|---|---|---|
| Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act | H.R. 748 | President Trump signed into law the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act (H.R. 748), which provides economic stimulus for businesses and individuals, provides funding for health care and social service programs, and extends several major health care programs. On telehealth, the legislation removes the preexisting relationship limitation on the expansion of telehealth benefits in Medicare, expands telehealth options for people with HDHP/HSAs and a variety of other changes. Full telehealth provision list here. | March 27 |
| Coronavirus Preparedness and Response Supplemental Appropriations Act of 2020 | H.R. 6074 | President Trump signed into law the Coronavirus Preparedness and Response Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2020 (H.R. 6074), a $8.3 billion emergency funding package – which among other things – waives originating site and geographic restrictions in Medicare but limited to providers who bill for patients they have seen in the last three years, and only applies for the public health emergency. | March 6 |