[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 925 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
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115th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 925
To amend title 38, United States Code, to improve the ability of health
care professionals to treat veterans through the use of telemedicine,
and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
April 25, 2017
Mrs. Ernst (for herself and Ms. Hirono) introduced the following bill;
which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend title 38, United States Code, to improve the ability of health
care professionals to treat veterans through the use of telemedicine,
and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Veterans E-Health and Telemedicine
Support Act of 2017'' or the ``VETS Act of 2017''.
SEC. 2. LICENSURE OF HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONALS OF THE DEPARTMENT OF
VETERANS AFFAIRS PROVIDING TREATMENT VIA TELEMEDICINE.
(a) In General.--Chapter 17 of title 38, United States Code, is
amended by inserting after section 1730A the following new section:
``Sec. 1730B. Licensure of health care professionals providing
treatment via telemedicine
``(a) In General.--Notwithstanding any provision of law regarding
the licensure of health care professionals, a covered health care
professional may practice the health care profession of the health care
professional at any location in any State, regardless of where the
covered health care professional or the patient is located, if the
covered health care professional is using telemedicine to provide
treatment to an individual under this chapter.
``(b) Property of Federal Government.--Subsection (a) shall apply
to a covered health care professional providing treatment to a patient
regardless of whether the covered health care professional or patient
is located in a facility owned by the Federal Government during such
treatment.
``(c) Construction.--Nothing in this section may be construed to
remove, limit, or otherwise affect any obligation of a covered health
care professional under the Controlled Substances Act (21 U.S.C. 801 et
seq.).
``(d) Covered Health Care Professional Defined.--In this section,
the term `covered health care professional' means a health care
professional who--
``(1) is an employee of the Department appointed under the
authority under section 7306, 7401, 7405, 7406, or 7408 of this
title or title 5;
``(2) is authorized by the Secretary to provide health care
under this chapter;
``(3) is required to adhere to all quality standards
relating to the provision of telemedicine in accordance with
applicable policies of the Department; and
``(4) has an active, current, full, and unrestricted
license, registration, or certification in a State to practice
the health care profession of the health care professional.''.
(b) Clerical Amendment.--The table of sections at the beginning of
chapter 17 of such title is amended by inserting after the item
relating to section 1730A the following new item:
``1730B. Licensure of health care professionals providing treatment via
telemedicine.''.
(c) Report on Telemedicine.--
(1) In general.--Not later than one year after the date of
the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs
shall submit to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs of the
Senate and the Committee on Veterans' Affairs of the House of
Representatives a report on the effectiveness of the use of
telemedicine by the Department of Veterans Affairs.
(2) Elements.--The report required by paragraph (1) shall
include an assessment of the following:
(A) The satisfaction of veterans with telemedicine
furnished by the Department.
(B) The satisfaction of health care providers in
providing telemedicine furnished by the Department.
(C) The effect of telemedicine furnished by the
Department on the following:
(i) The ability of veterans to access
health care, whether from the Department or
from non-Department health care providers.
(ii) The frequency of use by veterans of
telemedicine.
(iii) The productivity of health care
providers.
(iv) Wait times for an appointment for the
receipt of health care from the Department.
(v) The reduction, if any, in the use by
veterans of in-person services at Department
facilities and non-Department facilities.
(D) The types of appointments for the receipt of
telemedicine furnished by the Department that were
provided during the one-year period preceding the
submittal of the report.
(E) The number of appointments for the receipt of
telemedicine furnished by the Department that were
requested during such period, disaggregated by Veterans
Integrated Service Network.
(F) Savings by the Department, if any, including
travel costs, of furnishing health care through the use
of telemedicine during such period.
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