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Congressional Research Service
Version 00 · Introduced in Senate · Feb 14, 2006
Medicare Home Health Telehealth Access Act of 2006 - Amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to revise the current requirements for Medicare coverage of telehealth services under the prospective payment system.
Requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services to treat as a home health visit any telehealth services furnished by a home health agency via a telecommunication system to an individual receiving home health services, if the telehealth services: (1) are ordered as part of a plan of care certified by a physician; (2) (as under current law) do not substitute for in-person home health services ordered as part of a plan of care certified by a physician; and (3) are considered the equivalent of a visit under criteria developed by the Secretary.
Directs the Secretary to initiate and carry out projects in a variety of geographic locations that provide incentives to home health agencies to utilize home monitoring and communications technologies that will: (1) enhance health outcomes for individuals enrolled under Medicare parts A and B; and (2) reduce part A and B program expenditures for institutional and other providers, practitioners, and suppliers of health care items and services.
Showing the opening paragraphs of the official summary.
Authorizes the Secretary to pay incentive payments to each home health agency participating in a pilot project.
Provides that, if the Secretary determines that any of the pilot projects results in decreased federal Medicare expenditures, and maintains or enhances health outcomes for the participating beneficiaries, the Secretary may initiate or extend comparable projects in additional areas.
People & committees
Sen. Santorum, Rick [R-PA] · R–PA
Legislative record
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Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
Introduced in Senate
Primary sources
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Source last updated: Dec 5, 2025. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.
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