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116TH CONGRESS
2D SESSION
H. R. 6855
To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to ensure communications
accessibility for residents of skilled nursing facilities during the COVID-
19 emergency period.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
MAY 13, 2020
Ms. SA´NCHEZ introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Ways and Means
A BILL
To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to ensure
communications accessibility for residents of skilled nurs-
ing facilities during the COVID-19 emergency period.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
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tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
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SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
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This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Facilitating Virtual
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Visitation for Nursing Home Residents Act of 2020’’.
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SEC. 2. ENSURING COMMUNICATIONS ACCESSIBILITY FOR
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RESIDENTS OF SKILLED NURSING FACILI-
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TIES DURING THE COVID-19 EMERGENCY PE-
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RIOD.
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(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 1819(c)(3) of the Social
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Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395i–3(c)(3)) is amended—
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(1) in subparagraph (D), by striking ‘‘and’’ at
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the end;
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(2) in subparagraph (E), by striking the period
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and inserting ‘‘; and’’; and
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(3) by adding at the end the following new sub-
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paragraph:
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‘‘(F) provide for reasonable access to the
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use of a telephone, including TTY and TDD
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services (as defined for purposes of section
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483.10 of title 42, Code of Federal Regulations
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(or a successor regulation)), and the internet
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(to the extent available to the facility) and in-
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form each such resident (or a representative of
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such resident) of such access and any changes
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in policies or procedures of such facility relating
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to limitations on external visitors.’’.
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(b) COVID-19 PROVISIONS.—
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(1) GUIDANCE.—Not later than 15 days after
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the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary
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of Health and Human Service shall issue guidance
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on steps skilled nursing facilities may take to ensure
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residents have access to televisitation during the
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emergency period defined in section 1135(g)(1)(B)
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of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1320b–
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5(g)(1)(B)). Such guidance shall include information
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on how such facilities will notify residents of such
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facilities, representatives of such residents, and rel-
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atives of such residents of the rights of such resi-
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dents to such televisitation, and ensure timely and
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equitable access to such televisitation.
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(2) REVIEW OF FACILITIES.—The Secretary of
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Health and Human Services shall take such steps as
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determined appropriate by the Secretary to ensure
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that residents of skilled nursing facilities and rel-
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atives of such residents are made aware of the ac-
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cess rights described in section 1819(c)(3)(F) of the
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Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395i–3(c)(3)(F)).
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Æ
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