H.R. 9324

[Congressional Bills 118th Congress] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office] [H.R. 9324 Introduced in House (IH)] <DOC> 118th CONGRESS 2d Session H. R. 9324 To amend title 38, United States Code, to authorize certain heath care professionals employed by the Department of Veterans Affairs to deliver, distribute, or dispense to veterans certain controlled medications via telemedicine under certain conditions, and for other purposes. _______________________________________________________________________ IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES August 6, 2024 Mr. Womack (for himself and Mr. Bishop of Georgia) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs _______________________________________________________________________ A BILL To amend title 38, United States Code, to authorize certain heath care professionals employed by the Department of Veterans Affairs to deliver, distribute, or dispense to veterans certain controlled medications via telemedicine under certain conditions, and for other purposes. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. This Act may be cited as the ``Protecting Veteran Access to Telemedicine Services Act of 2024''. SEC. 2. DELIVERY, DISTRIBUTION, AND DISPENSATION OF CONTROLLED MEDICATIONS BY COVERED DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONALS VIA TELEMEDICINE. Subchapter III of chapter 17 of title 38, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new section (and conforming the table of sections at the beginning of such chapter accordingly): ``Sec. 1730D. Delivery, distribution, and dispensation of controlled medications via telemedicine ``(a) In General.--Pursuant to section 1730C of this title and subject to the requirements of title III of the Controlled Substances Act (21 U.S.C. 801 et seq.), a covered health care professional may use telemedicine to deliver, distribute, or dispense to a patient eligible to receive medical treatment under this chapter a controlled substance that is a prescription drug as determined under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (21 U.S.C. 301 et seq.) regardless of whether such covered health care professional has conducted an in-person medical examination of such patient if-- ``(1) such covered health care professional is-- ``(A) authorized to prescribe the basic class of such controlled substance under an active, current, full, and unrestricted State license, registration, or certification; and ``(B) acting in the usual course of professional practice; and ``(2) such substance is delivered, distributed, or dispensed for a legitimate medical purpose. ``(b) Regulations.--The Secretary shall establish in regulations guidelines and a process for the delivery, distribution, and dispensation of a controlled substance pursuant to subsection (a). ``(c) Rule of Construction.--Nothing in this section may be construed to remove, limit, or otherwise affect any obligation of a covered health care professional under the Controlled Substances Act. ``(d) Definitions.-- In this section: ``(1) The terms `controlled substance', `deliver', `dispense', and `distribute' have the meanings given such terms in section 102 of the Controlled Substances Act, respectively. ``(2) The term `covered health care professional' means-- ``(A) a health care professional who-- ``(i) is an employee of the Department appointed under section 7306, 7401, 7405, 7406, or 7408 of this title or under title 5; ``(ii) is not a contractor of the Department; ``(iii) is authorized by the Secretary to provide health care under this chapter; ``(iv) is required to adhere to all standards for quality relating to the provision of health care in accordance with applicable policies of the Department; ``(v) has an active, current, full, and unrestricted license, registration, or certification or meets qualification standards set forth by the Secretary within a specified time frame; and ``(vi) with respect to a health care profession listed under section 7402(b) of this title, has the qualifications for such profession as set forth by the Secretary; and ``(B) a health professions trainee who-- ``(i) is appointed under section 7405 of this title; and ``(ii) is under the clinical supervision of a health care professional described in subparagraph (A).''. <all>