Beneficiary engagement on telehealth

(a) Resources, guidance, and training sessions Section 1834(m) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395m(m)) is amended by adding at the end the following new paragraph: (10) Resources, guidance, and training sessions (A) In general Not later than 6 months after the date of the enactment of this paragraph, the Secretary, in consultation with stakeholders, shall issue resources, guidance, and training sessions for beneficiaries, physicians, practitioners, and health information technology software vendors on best practices for ensuring telehealth services are accessible for— (i) individuals with limited English proficiency, including instructions on how to— (I) access telehealth platforms; (II) utilize interpreter services; and (III) integrate telehealth and virtual interpreter services; and (ii) individuals with disabilities, including instructions on accessibility of the telecommunications system being used for telehealth services, engagement with beneficiaries with disabilities prior to, during, and after the furnishing of the telehealth service, and training on captioning and transcripts. (B) Accounting for age and other differences Resources, guidance, and training sessions issued under this paragraph shall account for age and sociodemographic, geographic, literacy, cultural, cognitive, and linguistic differences in how individuals interact with technology.. (b) Study and report on tactics To improve beneficiary engagement on telehealth (1) Study The Secretary of Health and Human Services shall, to the maximum extent feasible, collect and analyze qualitative and quantitative data on strategies that clinicians, payers, and other health care organizations use to improve beneficiary engagement on telehealth services (as defined in section 1834(m)(4)(F) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395m(m)(4)(F))), with an emphasis on underserved communities, such as the use of digital navigators, providing patients with pre-visit information on telehealth, caregiver engagement, and training on telecommunications systems, and the investments necessary for health care professionals to effectively furnish telehealth services, including the costs of necessary technology and of training staff. (2) Report Not later than 2 years after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to Congress and make available on the internet website of the Secretary of Health and Human Services a report containing the results of the study under paragraph (1), together with recommendations for such legislation and administrative action as the Secretary determines appropriate. (c) Funding There are authorized to be appropriated such sums as necessary to carry out the provisions of, including the amendments made by, this section.