H.R. 1867: To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to remove in-person requirements under Medicare for mental health services furnished through telehealth and telecommunications technology.
The bill aims to amend the Social Security Act to eliminate certain in-person visit requirements for Medicare recipients seeking mental health services via telehealth. Here are the main aspects of the bill:
Removal of In-Person Requirements
Currently, Medicare requires some in-person visits for mental health services provided through telehealth. This bill proposes that these in-person requirements be removed for:
- Individuals diagnosed with substance use disorders seeking treatment.
- Individuals requiring diagnosis, evaluation, or treatment of mental health disorders.
This change would take effect on or after the end of the emergency period defined by previous legislation, allowing eligible patients to access telehealth services without needing to meet at a specific location.
Updates for Rural Health Clinics
The bill amends regulations concerning mental health visits conducted by rural health clinics, allowing them to participate in telehealth services without the previously set deadline of April 1, 2025.
Changes for Federally Qualified Health Centers
Similarly, the bill modifies the rules for federally qualified health centers to remove the existing limitation regarding the timing of mental health visits conducted via telehealth, also eliminating the deadline of April 1, 2025.
Impact on Telehealth Access
By removing these in-person requirements, the legislation aims to enhance access to mental health services for Medicare beneficiaries, especially in rural and underserved areas, where obtaining in-person care may be challenging. The flexibility offered by telehealth could lead to increased utilization of mental health services and streamlining patient care.
Implementation Dates
The new provisions regarding telehealth services for mental health will be effective from specified dates outlined in the bill.
Relevant Companies
- AMZN: Amazon could be impacted as it operates in the telehealth space through Amazon Care, which may benefit from increased demand for remote mental health services.
- TDOC: Teladoc Health is directly involved in telehealth services, and changes in Medicare regulations could significantly influence its operations and service offerings.
- CNC: Centene Corporation offers managed health care services, including telehealth, which may see increased utilization if Medicare expands its telehealth provisions.
This is an AI-generated summary of the bill text. There may be mistakes.
Sponsors
5 bill sponsors
Actions
2 actions
| Date | Action |
|---|---|
| Mar. 05, 2025 | Introduced in House |
| Mar. 05, 2025 | Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned. |
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