114 STAT. 2763A-488 PUBLIC LAW 106-554—APPENDIX F and-forward technologies that provide for the asynchronous transmission of health care information in single or multimedia formats. "(2) PAYMENT AMOUNT.— " (A) DISTANT SITE. —The Secretary shall pay to a physician or practitioner located at a distant site that furnishes a telehealth service to an eligible telehealth individual an amount equal to the amount that such physician or practitioner would have been paid under this title had such service been furnished without the use of a telecommunications system. "(B) FACILITY FEE FOR ORIGINATING SITE.— With respect to a telehealth service, subject to section 1833(a)(l)(U), there shall be paid to the originating site a facility fee equal to— "(i) for the period beginning on October 1, 2001, and ending on December 31, 2001, and for 2002, $20; and "(ii) for a subsequent year, the facility fee specified in clause (i) or this clause for the preceding year increased by the percentage increase in the MEI (as defined in section 1842(i)(3)) for such subsequent year. "(C) TELEPRESENTER NOT REQUIRED. — Nothing in this subsection shall be construed as requiring an eligible telehealth individual to be presented by a physician or practitioner at the originating site for the furnishing of a service via a telecommunications system, unless it is medically necessary (as determined by the physician or practitioner at the distant site). " (3) LIMITATION ON BENEFICIARY CHARGES. — "(A) PHYSICIAN AND PRACTITIONER. —The provisions of section 1848(g) and subparagraphs (A) and (B) of section 1842(b)(18) shall apply to a physician or practitioner receiving payment under this subsection in the same manner as they apply to physicians or practitioners under such sections. "(B) ORIGINATING SITE. —The provisions of section 1842(b)(18) shall apply to originating sites receiving a facility fee in the same manner as they apply to practitioners under such section. "(4) DEFINITIONS.— For purposes of this subsection: "(A) DISTANT SITE.—The term 'distant site' means the site at which the physician or practitioner is located at the time the service is provided via a telecommunications system. "(B) ELIGIBLE TELEHEALTH INDIVIDUAL. —The term 'eligible telehealth individual' means an individual enrolled under this part who receives a telehealth service furnished at an originating site. " (C) ORIGINATING SITE. — "(i) IN GENERAL. —The term 'originating site' means only those sites described in clause (ii) at which the eligible telehealth individual is located at the time the service is furnished via a telecommunications system and only if such site is located— "(I) in an area that is designated as a rural health professional shortage area under section
�
