Federal

Telehealth Expansion Act of 2023

Source: Congress.gov · 556 words in original text

What This Bill Does

This bill makes permanent a rule allowing telehealth (medical services provided remotely) to be covered without a deductible (the amount you pay before insurance kicks in) under high deductible health plans. The bill changes the Internal Revenue Code to remove time limits on this telehealth exemption.

Who It Affects

People enrolled in high deductible health plans who use telehealth services. Health insurance companies and plans offering high deductible health plans.

Key Provisions

• Telehealth services can be covered by high deductible health plans without requiring patients to pay a deductible first (Sec. 2(a)) • Coverage of telehealth services must be disregarded when determining whether a health plan meets requirements for high deductible plans (Sec. 2(b)) • The changes apply to insurance plan years beginning after December 31, 2024 (Sec. 2(c))

What Changes

The current temporary exemption for telehealth services from deductible requirements becomes permanent instead of expiring. Health plans no longer need to apply time limits to this telehealth exemption.

Important Definitions

The bill does not define telehealth or high deductible health plan. It assumes readers understand these terms from the Internal Revenue Code.

Effective Date

Plan years beginning after December 31, 2024 (Sec. 2(c))

IB Union Calendar No. 84 118TH CONGRESS 1ST SESSION H. R. 1843 [Report No. 118–109] To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to permanently extend the exemption for telehealth services from certain high deductible health plan rules. IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES MARCH 28, 2023 Mrs. STEEL (for herself, Ms. LEE of Nevada, Mr. SMITH of Nebraska, and Mr. SCHNEIDER) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Ways and Means JUNE 13, 2023 Additional sponsors: Mrs. MILLER-MEEKS, Mr. LATURNER, Mr. CALVERT, Mr. VALADAO, Mr. MOOLENAAR, Mr. BACON, Mr. NEWHOUSE, Mr. OWENS, Mr. MANN, Mr. OBERNOLTE, Mr. DAVIS of North Carolina, Ms. SLOTKIN, Ms. VAN DUYNE, Ms. TENNEY, Mr. GOODEN of Texas, Mr. TIFFANY, Ms. PEREZ, Mr. KEAN of New Jersey, Mr. FITZPATRICK, Mrs. KIM of California, Mr. WILLIAMS of New York, Mrs. MILLER of West Virginia, Mrs. PELTOLA, Mr. STEUBE, Mr. FERGUSON, Mr. BALDERSON, Mr. BUCHANAN, Ms. MALLIOTAKIS, and Mrs. HOUCHIN JUNE 13, 2023 Reported with an amendment, committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union, and ordered to be printed [Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed in italic] [For text of introduced bill, see copy of bill as introduced on March 28, 2023] VerDate Sep 11 2014 02:12 Jun 14, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6652 E:\BILLS\H1843.RH H1843 pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with $$_JOB 2 •HR 1843 RH A BILL To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to permanently extend the exemption for telehealth services from certain high deductible health plan rules. VerDate Sep 11 2014 02:12 Jun 14, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6652 E:\BILLS\H1843.RH H1843 pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with $$_JOB 3 •HR 1843 RH Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa- 1 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 2 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 3 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Telehealth Expansion 4 Act of 2023’’. 5 SEC. 2. MAKING PERMANENT THE SAFE HARBOR FOR AB- 6 SENCE OF DEDUCTIBLE FOR TELEHEALTH. 7 (a) IN GENERAL.—Section 223(c)(2)(E) of the Inter- 8 nal Revenue Code of 1986 is amended by striking ‘‘In the 9 case of’’ and all that follows through ‘‘a plan’’ and inserting 10 ‘‘A plan’’. 11 (b) CERTAIN COVERAGE DISREGARDED.—Section 12 223(c)(1)(B)(ii) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 is 13 amended by striking ‘‘(in the case of months or plan years 14 to which paragraph (2)(E) applies)’’. 15 (c) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendments made by this 16 section shall apply to plan years beginning after December 17 31, 2024. 18 VerDate Sep 11 2014 02:12 Jun 14, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6203 E:\BILLS\H1843.RH H1843 pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with $$_JOB Union Calendar No. 84 118TH CONGRESS 1ST SESSION H. R. 1843 [Report No. 118–109] A BILL To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to permanently extend the exemption for telehealth services from certain high deductible health plan rules. JUNE 13, 2023 Reported with an amendment, committed to the Com- mittee of the Whole House on the State of the Union, and ordered to be printed VerDate Sep 11 2014 02:12 Jun 14, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 6651 Sfmt 6651 E:\BILLS\H1843.RH H1843 pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with $$_JOB

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