Bill Summary
This legislation, called the "Sustainable Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation Services in the Home Act", aims to make certain in-home cardiopulmonary rehabilitation flexibilities, which were established in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, a permanent part of the Social Security Act. This would allow for services to be provided remotely through telehealth technology, including in the home of an individual or as part of a hospital outpatient department. The bill also expands the types of originating sites where telehealth services can be provided, including through the virtual presence of a physician, physician assistant, nurse practitioner, or clinical nurse specialist. The legislation also directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to establish standards for the designation of an individual's home as a provider-based organization of a hospital, and to include cardiac and pulmonary rehabilitation programs as eligible for telehealth services. These changes would go into effect after the COVID-19 emergency period ends.
Possible Impacts
1. The legislation could improve access to cardiopulmonary rehabilitation services for individuals with limited mobility or transportation options by allowing for these services to be provided in their home through telehealth technology.
2. The legislation could also reduce the risk of exposure to COVID-19 for both patients and healthcare providers by expanding the use of telehealth services for these programs.
3. The legislation could potentially lead to cost savings for patients, as receiving rehabilitation services at home may be more convenient and less expensive than traveling to a healthcare facility.
[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 9427 Introduced in House (IH)]
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117th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 9427
To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to permanently extend
certain in-home cardiopulmonary rehabilitation flexibilities
established in response to COVID-19, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
December 5, 2022
Mr. Joyce of Pennsylvania (for himself, Mr. O'Halleran, Mr. Panetta,
and Mr. Dunn) introduced the following bill; which was 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
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to permanently extend
certain in-home cardiopulmonary rehabilitation flexibilities
established in response to COVID-19, 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 ``Sustainable Cardiopulmonary
Rehabilitation Services in the Home Act''.
SEC. 2. CODIFYING IN-HOME CARDIOPULMONARY REHABILITATION FLEXIBILITIES
ESTABLISHED IN RESPONSE TO COVID-19.
(a) In General.--Section 1861(eee)(2) of the Social Security Act
(42 U.S.C. 1395x(eee)(2)) is amended--
(1) in subparagraph (A)(ii), by inserting ``, including in
the home of an individual when furnished as a telehealth
service through two-way audio-visual communications technology,
or when such home is designated as a provider-based location of
a hospital outpatient department'' after ``outpatient basis'';
and
(2) in subparagraph (B), by inserting ``, including through
the virtual presence of such physician, physician assistant,
nurse practitioner, or clinical nurse specialist, through two-
way audio-visual communications technology'' after ``under the
program''.
(b) Expanding Originating Sites.--Section 1834(m) of the Social
Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395m(m)) is amended--
(1) in paragraph (1), by striking ``and (9)'' through ``(as
defined in paragraph (4)(E))'' and inserting ``, (9), and (10),
the Secretary shall pay for telehealth services that are
furnished via a telecommunications system by a physician (as
defined in section 1861(r)) or a practitioner (as defined in
paragraph (4)(E)), or by a hospital (as defined in section
1861(e))'';
(2) in paragraph (2)(A), by striking ``or practitioner''
and inserting ``, practitioner, or hospital'' in each place
that it appears;
(3) in paragraph (4)(A), by striking ``or practitioner''
and inserting ``, practitioner, or hospital'';
(4) in paragraph (4)(C)--
(A) in clause (i), by striking ``and (7)'' and
inserting ``(7), and (10)''; and
(B) in clause (ii)(X), by striking ``paragraph
(7)'' and inserting ``paragraphs (7) and (10)'';
(5) in paragraph (4)(F)(i), by striking ``paragraph (8)''
and inserting ``paragraphs (8) and (10)''; and
(6) by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
``(10) Treatment of in-home cardiac rehabilitation program,
intensive cardiac rehabilitation program, and pulmonary
rehabilitation program visits.--Beginning on the first day
following the end of the emergency period described in section
1135(g)(1)(B), the geographic requirements described in
paragraph (4)(C)(i) shall not apply with respect to telehealth
services for cardiac rehabilitation programs and intensive
cardiac rehabilitation programs (as such terms are defined in
section 1861(eee)) and pulmonary rehabilitation programs (as
defined in section 1861(fff)) at an originating site described
in subclauses (V) and (X) of paragraph (4)(C)(ii).''.
(c) Rulemaking To Establish Standards and Allow for Certain
Programs To Utilize Telehealth Services.--
(1) In general.--The Secretary of Health and Human Services
shall promulgate rules to--
(A) establish standards for the designation of the
home of an individual with status as a provider-based
organization of a hospital consistent with waivers
issued through the Hospital Without Walls program for
cardiac rehabilitation, pulmonary rehabilitation, and
intensive cardiac rehabilitation; and
(B) include cardiac rehabilitation programs and
intensive cardiac rehabilitation programs (as such
terms are defined in section 1861(eee) of the Social
Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395x(eee)), and pulmonary
rehabilitation programs (as defined in section
1861(fff) of such Act (42 U.S.C. 1395x(fff)) among
telehealth services to be specified under section
1834(m)(4)(F) of such Act (42 U.S.C. 1395m(m)(4)(F)).
(2) Effective date.--The standards established under
paragraph (1) shall take effect on the later of the date on
which such standards are issued by the Secretary of Health and
Human Services, or on the first day after the end of the
emergency period described in section 1135(g)(1)(B) of the
Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1320b-5(g)(1)(B)).
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