VA Mission Telehealth Clarification Act

II Calendar No. 545 116TH CONGRESS 2D SESSION S. 3643 To amend title 38, United States Code, to authorize certain postgraduate health care employees and health professions trainees of the Department of Veterans Affairs to provide treatment via telemedicine, and for other purposes. IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES MAY 7, 2020 Mrs. LOEFFLER (for herself, Ms. SINEMA, and Mrs. BLACKBURN) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs SEPTEMBER 15, 2020 Reported by Mr. MORAN, without amendment A BILL To amend title 38, United States Code, to authorize certain postgraduate health care employees and health profes- sions trainees of the Department of Veterans Affairs to provide treatment via telemedicine, and for other pur- poses. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa- 1 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 2 VerDate Sep 11 2014 00:35 Sep 16, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S3643.RS S3643 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS 2 •S 3643 RS SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 1 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘VA Mission Telehealth 2 Clarification Act’’. 3 SEC. 2. MODIFICATION OF LICENSURE REQUIREMENTS 4 FOR HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONALS PRO- 5 VIDING TREATMENT VIA TELEMEDICINE. 6 Section 1730C(b) of title 38, United States Code, is 7 amended to read as follows: 8 ‘‘(b) COVERED HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONALS.— 9 For purposes of this section, a covered health care profes- 10 sional is any of the following individuals: 11 ‘‘(1) A health care professional who— 12 ‘‘(A) is an employee of the Department ap- 13 pointed under section 7306, 7401, 7405, 7406, 14 or 7408 of this title or title 5; 15 ‘‘(B) is authorized by the Secretary to pro- 16 vide health care under this chapter; 17 ‘‘(C) is required to adhere to all standards 18 for quality relating to the provision of health 19 care in accordance with applicable policies of 20 the Department; and 21 ‘‘(D)(i) has an active, current, full, and 22 unrestricted license, registration, or certification 23 in a State to practice the health care profession 24 of the health care professional; or 25 VerDate Sep 11 2014 00:35 Sep 16, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S3643.RS S3643 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS 3 •S 3643 RS ‘‘(ii) with respect to a health care profes- 1 sion listed under section 7402(b) of this title, 2 has the qualifications for such profession as set 3 forth by the Secretary. 4 ‘‘(2) A postgraduate health care employee 5 who— 6 ‘‘(A) is appointed under section 7401(1), 7 7401(3), or 7405 of this title or title 5 for any 8 category of personnel described in paragraph 9 (1) or (3) of section 7401 of this title; 10 ‘‘(B) must obtain an active, current, full, 11 and unrestricted license, registration, or certifi- 12 cation or meet qualification standards set forth 13 by the Secretary within a specified time frame; 14 and 15 ‘‘(C) is under the clinical supervision of a 16 health care professional described in paragraph 17 (1). 18 ‘‘(3) A health professions trainee who— 19 ‘‘(A) is appointed under section 7405 or 20 7406 of this title; and 21 ‘‘(B) is under the clinical supervision of a 22 health care professional described in paragraph 23 (1).’’. 24 VerDate Sep 11 2014 00:35 Sep 16, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S3643.RS S3643 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS Calendar No. 545 116TH CONGRESS 2D SESSION S. 3643 A BILL To amend title 38, United States Code, to author- ize certain postgraduate health care employees and health professions trainees of the Depart- ment of Veterans Affairs to provide treatment via telemedicine, and for other purposes. SEPTEMBER 15, 2020 Reported without amendment VerDate Sep 11 2014 00:35 Sep 16, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 6651 Sfmt 6651 E:\BILLS\S3643.RS S3643 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS