Bill Summary
The Rural Health Care Access Review Act of 2020 is a bill that has been proposed to the United States Congress. Its purpose is to conduct a study and report on access to healthcare in rural areas during the COVID-19 pandemic. This bill requires the Comptroller General of the United States to conduct the study and report, which will include analyzing data on telehealth services, their impact on private payer policies, disparities in access, and barriers to accessing these services. The report must be submitted to the appropriate committees within 24 months of the bill's enactment. The bill also defines "rural area" as an area classified as rural by the Federal Office of Rural Health Policy.
Possible Impacts
1. This legislation could potentially affect people living in rural areas by providing a study on their access to healthcare during the COVID-19 pandemic. This could lead to potential improvements in healthcare services and resources for these individuals.
2. The study conducted under this legislation could also potentially impact Medicare and Medicaid enrollees, as it includes an analysis of how telehealth services were furnished during the pandemic and how these flexibilities influenced private payer policies on telehealth.
3. The inclusion of a study on the privacy impacts of waiving federal privacy regulations during the pandemic could potentially affect individuals' privacy rights and protections during this public health emergency.
[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 4348 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
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116th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. 4348
To provide for the conduct of a GAO study and report on rural health
access during the COVID-19 pandemic.
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IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
July 28, 2020
Mr. Cassidy (for himself and Ms. Smith) introduced the following bill;
which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance
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A BILL
To provide for the conduct of a GAO study and report on rural health
access during the COVID-19 pandemic.
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 ``Rural Health Care Access Review Act
of 2020''.
SEC. 2. GAO STUDY AND REPORT ON RURAL HEALTH ACCESS DURING THE COVID-19
PANDEMIC.
(a) Study.--The Comptroller General of the United States shall
conduct a study on access to health care in rural areas during the
public health emergency described in section 1135(g)(1)(B) of the
Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1320b-5(g)(1)(B)). Such study shall
include the following:
(1) To the extent data are available, an analysis of
access, quality, patient and provider experience, and spending
and utilization of telehealth services furnished during such
public health emergency. Such evaluation shall be broken out by
each of the following:
(A) Individuals enrolled in the Medicare and
Medicaid programs.
(B) The provider type and medical specialty of the
practitioner furnishing the telehealth service.
(C) The modality under which such telehealth
services were furnished--
(i) using audio-only technology; and
(ii) using audio-visual technology.
(2) To the extent data are available, an analysis of how
these flexibilities influenced private payer policies on
telehealth.
(3) To the extent data are available, an analysis of
disparities in access to, and quality of, telehealth services
during such public health emergency.
(4) To the extent data are available, an analysis of
barriers to accessing and providing telehealth services covered
by the Medicare or Medicaid programs, including those related
to broadband infrastructure.
(5) An analysis of what is known about the privacy impacts
of the waiver of Federal privacy regulations during such public
health emergency.
(b) Report.--Not later than 24 months after the date of enactment
of this Act, the Comptroller General shall submit a report to the
Committee on Finance and the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and
Pensions of the Senate and the Committee on Ways and Means and the
Committee on Energy and Commerce of the House of Representatives
containing the results of the study conducted under subsection (a).
(c) Definition of Rural Area.--In this section, the term ``rural
area'' means an area classified as rural by the Federal Office of Rural
Health Policy of the Health Resources & Services Administration.
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