APMA News - September/October 2021 - 21

Table 1: Tier I Bills
Disparities
HR 4510
Health Enterprise
Zones Act of 2021
Addresses disparities by requiring the secretary of HHS to designate " health
enterprise zones " that are limited in size, but that must have measurable and
documented racial, ethnic, or geographic health disparities and poor health
outcomes, and be part of a metro statistical area or an area identified as
such by the Office of Management and Budget. Individual providers applying
to work in these zones would be afforded tax incentives. The secretary would
be empowered to provide grants to these health zones to promote reduction
of health disparities and improvements to health outcomes.
Podiatry Specific
HR 2972
Helping Ensure Lifeand
Limb-Saving Access
to Podiatric Physicians
(HELLPP) Act
O&P
S 2556 /
HR 1990
Diabetes
Diabetes
HR 2178
HR 2807
Medicare Orthotics
and Prosthetics Patient-Centered
Care
Act
Minority Diabetes Initiative
Act
Prevent Diabetes Act
Diabetes
S 800
Promoting Access to
Diabetic Shoes Act
Recognizes podiatric physicians as physicians under Medicaid to ensure
access by Medicaid beneficiaries to appropriate quality foot and ankle care;
modifies the requirements for diabetic shoes to be included under Medicare;
and includes a budget offset to pay for the estimated increased costs.
Clarifies requirements for suppliers and distinguishes between orthotists/
prosthetists and other DME suppliers.
Provides for grants to public and nonprofit private health-care providers for
the purpose of providing treatment for diabetes in minority communities.
Permits CDC-recognized virtual diabetes prevention program suppliers
to be included in the Medicare Diabetes Prevention Program Expanded
Model conducted by the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation
under section 1115A of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1315a).
Permits a nurse practitioner or physician assistant to fulfill documentation
requirements for coverage, under Medicare, of special shoes for diabetic
individuals. Under current law, such requirements may be satisfied only by
an MD/DO.
O&P
S 1089 /
HR 2461
Triple A Study Act
Directs the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to study issues related
to health insurance and other coverage for assistive technologies,
such as prosthetic devices and custom orthoses, for those who experience
amputations or live with a limb difference. In conducting this study,
the GAO must include comparisons of claims and other data from Medicare,
the Department of Veterans Affairs, and commercial health insurers.
Research Funding
Telehealth
S 962
S 2111
American Cures Act
Audio-only Telehealth
for Emergencies Act
Provides stable funding for biomedical research.
Provides a waiver for certain telehealth requirements to permit reimbursement
for audio-only telehealth services under the Medicare program
during emergency declarations.
VHA Reform
S 1863
Guaranteeing Healthcare
Access to Personnel
Who Served Act
Comprehensive VA reform bill, updates the Community Cares program to
expand and clarify eligibility, continuity of care in the case of realignment
of a local VA facility; establishes a pilot program to test " self-scheduling "
of appointments; clarifies credentialing requirements for providers
of non-department health-care services; makes improvements to rural
health and telehealth; requires reports on transportation and telehealth
services; expands access to family caregivers overseas; addresses treatment-resistant
depression.
Telehealth
Telehealth
Telehealth
Telehealth
Telehealth
HR 4437
HR 3447
S 1988
HR 4480
S 1798 /
HR 1397
HEALTH Act of 2021
Permanency for Audio-Only
Telehealth Act
Protecting Rural Telehealth
Access Act
Telehealth Coverage
and Payment Parity Act
TIKES Act
Authorizes Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) and rural health
clinics to utilize two-way audiovisual or audio-only communications (telehealth)
on a permanent basis after the end of the public health emergency.
Expands
accessibility for certain telehealth services under the Medicare
program.
Eliminates geographic restrictions and increases flexibilities and allowances
for providing telehealth services.
Establishes coverage for services furnished via telehealth if such services
would be covered if furnished in person.
Increases access to telehealth services under Medicaid and CHIP.
APMA News September/October 2021 21
APMA News - September/October 2021

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