Reauthorization of telehealth and telemedicine grant programs

(a)

Telehealth network and telehealth resource centers grant programs

Section 330I (42 U.S.C. 254c–14) is amended— (1)in subsection (a), by amending paragraph (3) to read as follows:

(3)

Frontier community

The term frontier community shall have such meaning as developed by the Secretary, in consultation with the Secretary of Agriculture, not later than one year after the date of the enactment of the Telehealth Improvement and Expansion Act of 2010.

;

(2)in subsection (b), by striking , under section 301,; (3)in subsection (c)(2), by striking under section 301 and inserting under this section; (4)in subsection (f)(1)(B)(iii)— (A)in subclause (IV), by striking Local health departments and inserting State, local, or tribal health departments; (B)in subclause (VII), by inserting , including skilled nursing facilities before the period at the end; (C)in subclause (IX), by inserting , including community mental health centers or county mental health and public mental health facilities before the period at the end; and (D)by adding at the end the following:

(XIII)Renal dialysis facilities.

;

(5)by amending subsection (i) to read as follows:

(i)

Preferences

(1)

Telehealth Networks

In awarding grants under subsection (d)(1) for projects involving telehealth networks, the Secretary shall give preference to eligible entities meeting at least one of the following: (A)

Network

The eligible entity is a health care provider in, or proposing to form, a health care network that furnishes services in a medically underserved area or a health professional shortage area. (B)

Broad geographic coverage

The eligible entity demonstrates broad geographic coverage in the rural or medically underserved areas of the State or States in which the entity is located. (C)

Linkages

The eligible entity demonstrates its ability to use the grant to establish or develop plans for telehealth systems that will link rural hospitals and rural health care providers to other hospitals, health care providers, and patients. (D)

Efficiency

The eligible entity demonstrates its ability to use the grant to promote greater efficiency in the use of health care resources. (E)

Viability

The eligible entity demonstrates the long-term viability of projects through— (i)availability of non-Federal funding sources; and (ii)institutional and community support for the telehealth network. (F)

Services

The eligible entity provides a plan for coordinating system use by eligible entities and prioritizes use of grant funds for health care services over nonclinical uses. (2)

Telehealth resource centers

In awarding grants under subsection (d)(2) for projects involving telehealth resource centers, the Secretary shall give preference to eligible entities meeting at least one of the following: (A)

Provision of a broad range of services

The eligible entity has a record of success in the provision of a broad range of telehealth services to medically underserved areas or populations. (B)

Provision of telehealth technical assistance

The eligible entity has a record of success in the provision of technical assistance to providers serving medically underserved areas or populations in the establishment and implementation of telehealth services. (C)

Collaboration and sharing of expertise

The eligible entity has a demonstrated record of collaborating and sharing expertise with providers of telehealth services at the national, regional, State, and local levels.

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(6)in subsection (j)(2)(B), by striking such projects for fiscal year 2001 and all that follows through the period and inserting such projects for fiscal year 2010.; (7)in subsection (k)(1)— (A)in subparagraph (E)(i), by striking transmission of medical data and inserting transmission and electronic archival of medical data; and (B)by amending subparagraph (F) to read as follows:

(F)developing projects to use telehealth technology to— (i)facilitate collaboration between health care providers; (ii)promote telenursing services; or (iii)promote patient understanding and adherence to national guidelines for chronic disease and self-management of such conditions;

;

(8)in subsection (n), by inserting and minimize duplication before the period at the end; (9)in subsection (q), by striking Not later than September 30, 2005 and inserting Not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of the Telehealth Improvement and Expansion Act of 2010, and annually thereafter; (10)by striking subsection (r); (11)by redesignating subsection (s) as subsection (r); and (12)in subsection (r) (as so redesignated)— (A)in paragraph (1)— (i)by striking and before such sums; and (ii)by inserting , $10,000,000 for each of the fiscal years 2012 through 2016 before the semicolon; and (B)in paragraph (2)— (i)by striking and before such sums; and (ii)by inserting , $10,000,000 for each of the fiscal years 2012 through 2016 before the period. (b)

Telemedicine; incentive grants regarding coordination among States

Subsection (b) of section 330L (42 U.S.C. 254c–18) is amended by inserting , $10,000,000 for each of the fiscal years 2012 through 2016 before the period at the end.