Telehealth network and telehealth resource centers grant programs

In this section: The terms “Director” and “Office” mean the Director and Office specified in subsection (c). The term “Federally qualified health center” and “rural health clinic” have the meanings given the terms in section 1395x(aa) of this title. The term “frontier community” shall have the meaning given the term in regulations issued under subsection (r). The term “medically underserved area” has the meaning given the term “medically underserved community” in section 295p(6) of this title. The term “medically underserved population” has the meaning given the term in section 254b(b)(3) of this title. The term “telehealth services” means services provided through telehealth technologies. The term “telehealth technologies” means technologies relating to the use of electronic information, and telecommunications technologies, to support and promote, at a distance, health care, patient and professional health-related education, health administration, and public health. The Secretary shall establish, under section 241 of this title, telehealth network and telehealth resource centers grant programs. There is established in the Health Resources and Services Administration an Office for the Advancement of Telehealth. The Office shall be headed by a Director. The telehealth network and telehealth resource centers grant programs established under section 241 of this title shall be administered by the Director, in consultation with the State offices of rural health, State offices concerning primary care, or other appropriate State government entities. The Director may, in carrying out the telehealth network grant program referred to in subsection (b), award grants to eligible entities for evidence-based projects that utilize telehealth technologies through telehealth networks in rural areas, frontier communities, and medically underserved areas, and for medically underserved populations, to— The Director may, in carrying out the telehealth resource centers grant program referred to in subsection (b), award grants to eligible entities for projects to support initiatives that utilize telehealth technologies in the areas and communities, and for the populations, described in paragraph (1). The Director may award grants under this section for periods of not more than 5 years. To be eligible to receive a grant under subsection (d)(1), an entity shall demonstrate that the entity will provide services through a telehealth network. Each entity participating in the telehealth network may be a nonprofit or for-profit entity. The telehealth network shall include at least 2 of the following entities (at least 1 of which shall be a community-based health care provider): To be eligible to receive a grant under subsection (d), an eligible entity, in consultation with the appropriate State office of rural health or another appropriate State 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, including— In awarding grants under subsection (d)(1) for projects involving telehealth networks, the Secretary shall give preference to an eligible entity that meets at least 1 of the following requirements: The eligible entity is a rural community-based organization or another community-based organization. The eligible entity proposes to use Federal funds made available through such a grant to develop plans for, or to establish, telehealth networks that provide mental health care, public health services, long-term care, home care, preventive care, case management services, prenatal care, labor care, birthing care, or postpartum care. The eligible entity demonstrates how the project to be carried out under the grant will be coordinated with other relevant federally funded projects in the areas, communities, and populations to be served through the grant. The eligible entity demonstrates that the project involves a telehealth network that includes an entity that— is— The eligible entity proposes a project that promotes local and regional connectivity within areas, communities, or populations to be served through the project. In awarding grants under subsection (d)(2) for projects involving telehealth resource centers, the Secretary shall give preference to an eligible entity that meets at least 1 of the following requirements: The eligible entity has a record of success in the provision of telehealth services to rural areas, medically underserved areas, or medically underserved populations. The eligible entity has a demonstrated record of collaborating and sharing expertise with providers of telehealth services at the national, regional, State, and local levels. The eligible entity has a record of providing a broad range of telehealth services, which may include— In awarding grants under this section, the Director shall ensure, to the greatest extent possible, that such grants are equitably distributed among the geographical regions of the United States. In awarding grants under subsection (d)(1) for a fiscal year, the Director shall ensure that not less than 50 percent of the funds awarded shall be awarded for projects in rural areas. The recipient of a grant under subsection (d)(1) may use funds received through such grant for salaries, equipment, and operating or other costs, including the cost of— The recipient of a grant under subsection (d)(2) may use funds received through such grant for salaries, equipment, and operating or other costs for— An entity that receives a grant under this section may not use funds made available through the grant— In providing services under this section, an eligible entity shall collaborate, if feasible, with entities that— The Secretary shall coordinate activities carried out under grant programs described in subsection (b), to the extent practicable, with Federal and State agencies and nonprofit organizations that are operating similar programs, to maximize the effect of public dollars in funding meritorious proposals. The Secretary shall establish and implement procedures to carry out outreach activities to advise potential end users of telehealth services in rural areas, frontier communities, medically underserved areas, and medically underserved populations in each State about the grant programs described in subsection (b). It is the sense of Congress that, for purposes of this section, States should develop reciprocity agreements so that a provider of services under this section who is a licensed or otherwise authorized health care provider under the law of 1 or more States, and who, through telehealth technology, consults with a licensed or otherwise authorized health care provider in another State, is exempt, with respect to such consultation, from any State law of the other State that prohibits such consultation on the basis that the first health care provider is not a licensed or authorized health care provider under the law of that State. Not later than 4 years after March 27, 2020, and every 5 years thereafter, the Secretary shall prepare and submit to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions of the Senate and the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the House of Representatives a report on the activities and outcomes of the grant programs under subsection (b). There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section $29,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2021 through 2025.