← Back to Bills
S. 431Senate115th Congress (2017-2019)In Committee

Furthering Access to Stroke Telemedicine Act

Sponsored by John ThuneSen. John Thune (R-SD)
Introduced February 16, 2017

AI-Generated Summary

Updated April 15, 2026 at 12:54 PM UTC

The Furthering Access to Stroke Telemedicine Act amends the Medicare provisions of the Social Security Act to broaden the use of telehealth for people who have had a stroke. It lets doctors provide remote evaluation services for acute stroke without the usual rules about where the patient must be located, and it stops Medicare from paying a facility fee to the site where the patient is located. The change applies to Medicare‑covered stroke patients receiving telehealth services after January 1 2018.

Key Provisions

  • Eliminates the “originating site” requirement for telehealth services used to evaluate an acute stroke, so patients can receive remote care regardless of their location.
  • Prohibits Medicare from paying an originating site facility fee for those stroke telehealth services.

Legislative Activity

Stay on top of the latest movement without scrolling through every action

1 earlier action
SenateIntro Referral Latest Action

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.

Finance Committee

February 16, 2017

View full timeline
SenateIntro Referral

Introduced in Senate

February 16, 2017

SenateIntro Referral

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.

Finance Committee

February 16, 2017

Bill Text

Latest available legislative text

Reading Mode
Latest
Raw Text PDF XML
Introduced in SenateIssued February 16, 2017

II

115th CONGRESS

1st Session

S. 431

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

February 16, 2017

Mr. Thune (for himself, Mr. Schatz, and Mr. Wicker) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance

A BILL

To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to expand the use of telehealth for individuals with stroke.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Furthering Access to Stroke Telemedicine Act.

2.

Expanding the use of telehealth for individuals with stroke

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:

(5)

Treatment of stroke telehealth services

(A)

Non-application of originating site requirements

The requirements described in paragraph (4)(C) shall not apply with respect to telehealth services furnished on or after January 1, 2018, for purposes of evaluation of an acute stroke, as determined by the Secretary.

(B)

No originating site facility fee

The Secretary shall not pay an originating site facility fee (as described in paragraph (2)(B)) with respect to such telehealth services.

.