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H.R.6163 / 110th Congress

Medicare Telehealth Enhancement Act of 2008

Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.

Official summary

Version 00 · Introduced in House · May 22, 2008

Medicare Telehealth Enhancement Act of 2008 - Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act regarding telehealth services (furnished via a telecommunication system by a physician to an enrolled individual).

Removes current geographic restrictions on the provision of such services.

Adds to the types of facilities authorized to participate in the telehealth program.

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Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to encourage and facilitate the adoption of state reciprocity agreements for practitioner licensure in order to expedite the provision of telehealth services across state lines.

Directs the Secretary to include as a home health visit for Medicare purposes telehealth services furnished an individual by a home health agency.

Provides for coverage of remote patient management services, including home health remote patient management services, for certain chronic health conditions.

Directs the Secretary to establish a demonstration project to evaluate the impact and benefits of covering remote patient management services for certain chronic health conditions.

Directs the Secretary, acting through the Director of the Office for the Advancement of Telehealth (of the Health Resources and Services Administration), to make grants to expand access via telehealth to health care services for individuals in medically underserved rural, frontier, and urban areas.

Amends the Public Health Service Act to reauthorize telehealth network and telehealth resource centers grant programs.

Read the summary on Congress.gov
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Who introduced it

Rep. Thompson, Mike [D-CA-1] · D–CA

Committees

  • Ways and Means Committee
  • Energy and Commerce Committee
14 cosponsorship records, including any withdrawals

Actions

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  1. Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.

  2. Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.

  3. 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.

  4. 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.

  5. 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.

  6. Introduced in House

  7. Introduced in House

Bill text & related measures

Text links open the official source. We currently store references to these documents.

Related bills identified by Congress.gov

No related bills are listed in this snapshot. This does not establish whether the proposal has appeared in earlier Congresses.

Source last updated: Aug 14, 2025. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.

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Neutral evidence review

Objective

Analyze H.R.6163 as objectively as possible. Explain its main provisions, who would be affected, possible benefits and harms, implementation, exceptions, and uncertainties. Present the strongest arguments for and against it, and identify evidence needed to assess its public impact.

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Fairness and public impact

Progressive lens

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Institutions and government scope

Conservative lens

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Individual rights and government power

Liberty lens

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