Department of Veterans Affairs Telehealth Strategy Act
Impact
The proposed legislation aims to enhance the telehealth infrastructure for veterans, prioritizing the need for advanced technology and services that can meet the evolving healthcare demands of this population. The requirement for the Secretary to include estimates of necessary technology—including hardware, software, and services—intends to ensure that the Veterans Health Administration can adequately support telehealth services. By doing so, the bill could lead to increased accessibility for veterans seeking medical assistance remotely, thereby improving their overall healthcare experience.
Summary
House Bill 1144, known as the Department of Veterans Affairs Telehealth Strategy Act, mandates the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to develop a comprehensive strategy for telehealth services offered by the Veterans Health Administration. The bill outlines that within 180 days of its enactment, a strategy must be submitted to congressional committees, detailing projected demand for telehealth services for the upcoming fiscal years 2024, 2025, and 2026. This includes demand breakdown by various healthcare specialties and modalities, as well as state-level demand projections.
Contention
While the bill is largely viewed as a positive move toward improving veteran healthcare, there may be concerns regarding the execution and funding of such a strategy. Potential points of contention include questions on how effectively the required technology will be implemented and whether adequate resources will be allocated to achieve the outlined goals. Additionally, stakeholders may raise issues about the ongoing effectiveness and utilization rates of the telehealth services provided, as the bill lays the groundwork for future monitoring and reporting on these aspects.
Advanced Safe Testing at Residence Telehealth Act of 2023 This bill temporarily establishes several programs to provide telehealth services for at-home testing, evaluations, and other health care. Specifically, the bill establishes a demonstration program to provide assistive telehealth consultations and home- and community-based care for certain Medicare beneficiaries through Medicare Advantage (MA) plans. Covered services include certain at-home diagnostic tests, telehealth consultations, transportation services, and meal benefits. Beneficiaries must be (1) age 65 or older and eligible to enroll in a qualifying MA plan and to receive certain low-income subsidies under the Medicare prescription drug benefit, or (2) dually eligible for Medicare and Medicaid benefits. The bill also establishes a grant program for state Medicaid programs to cover similar at-home tests and related telehealth consultations. Additionally, the Department of Veterans Affairs must establish a pilot program to provide tests and related telehealth consultations free of charge to veterans.