110 STAT. 1988
PUBLIC LAW 104-191—AUG. 21, 1996
and quality of health insurance coverage offered under
provisions of this title.
(3) CONSULTATION.—The studies under this subsection shall
be conducted in consultation with the Secretary of Labor, representatives of State officials, consumers, and other representatives of individuals and entities that have expertise in health
insurance and employee benefits.
(b) REPORTS. —Not later than January 1, 2000, the Secretary
shall submit to the appropriate committees of Congress a report
on each of the studies under subsection (a).
SEC. 192. REPORT ON MEDICARE REIMBURSEMENT OF TELEMEDICINE.
The Health Care Financing Administration shall complete its
ongoing study of Medicare reimbursement of all telemedicine services and submit a report to Congress on Medicare reimbursement
of telemedicine services by not later than March 1, 1997. The
report shall—
(1) utilize data compiled from the current demonstration
projects already under review and gather data from other
ongoing telemedicine networks;
(2) include an analysis of the cost of services provided
via telemedicine; and
(3) include a proposal for Medicare reimbursement of such
services.
SEC. 193. ALLOWING FEDERALLY-QUALIFIED HMOS TO OFFER HIGH
DEDUCTIBLE PLANS.
Section 1301(b) of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C.
300e(b)) is amended by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
"(6) A health maintenance organization that otherwise
meets the requirements of this title may offer a high-deductible
health plan (as defined in section 220(c)(2) of the Internal
Revenue Code of 1986).".
SEC. 194. VOLUNTEER SERVICES PROVIDED BY HEALTH PROFES-
SIONALS AT FREE CLINICS.
Section 224 of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 233)
is amended by adding at the end the following subsection:
"(o)(l) For purposes of this section, a free clinic health professional shall in providing a qualifying health service to an individual
be deemed to be an employee of the Public Health Service for
a calendar year that begins during a fiscal year for which a transfer
was made under paragraph (6)(D). The preceding sentence is subject
to the provisions of this subsection.
"(2) In providing a health service to an individual, a health
care practitioner shall for purposes of this subsection be considered
to be a free clinic health professional if the following conditions
are met:
"(A) The service is provided to the individual at a free
clinic, or through offsite programs or events carried out by
the free clinic.
"(B) The free clinic is sponsoring the health care practitioner pursuant to paragraph (5)(C).
"(C) The service is a qualifying health service (as defined
in paragraph (4)).
"(D) Neither the health care practitioner nor the free clinic
receives any compensation for the service from the individual
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