Ensuring the inclusion of telehealth in measuring quality of care
Title III — Beneficiary and provider supports, quality of care, and data
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Section 1890A of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395aaa–1) is amended by adding at the end the following new subsection: (h) Measuring quality of telehealth services (1) In general Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this subsection, the Secretary shall review quality measures to ensure inclusion of measures relating to telehealth services, including care, prevention, diagnosis, patient experience, health outcomes, and treatment. (2) Consultation In conducting the review and assessment under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall consult external technical experts in quality measurement, including patient organizations, providers, and experts in telehealth. (3) Review and assessment The review and assessment under this subsection shall— (A) include review of existing and under development quality measures to identify measures that are currently inclusive of, and measures that fail to account for, telehealth services; (B) identify gaps in areas of quality measurement that relate to telehealth services, including health outcomes and patient experience of care; and (C) assess how to effectively streamline, implement, and assign accountability for health outcomes for quality measures for telehealth services across health care settings and providers. (4) Technical guidance The Secretary shall issue technical guidance on the following for health care providers and other stakeholders, as determined appropriate by the Secretary: (A) How to stratify measures by care modality and population to identify differences in health outcomes. (B) The use of uniform data elements. (C) How to identify and catalogue best practices related to the use of quality measurement and quality improvement for telehealth services. (D) Other areas determined appropriate by the Secretary. (5) Report Not later than 2 years after the date of the enactment of this subsection, the Secretary shall submit to Congress and post on the internet website of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services a report on the review and assessment conducted under this subsection..