---
kind: "section"
citation: "42 U.S.C. § 254c–14"
title: "42"
title_heading: "The Public Health and Welfare"
number: "254c–14"
heading: "Telehealth network and telehealth resource centers grant programs"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/42/254c-14"
units:
  - "Chapter 6A — Public Health Service"
  - "Subchapter II — General Powers and Duties"
  - "Part D — Primary Health Care"
  - "Subpart i — health centers"
---

# §254c–14. Telehealth network and telehealth resource centers grant programs

- (a) **Definitions—** In this section:
  - (1) **Director; Office—** The terms “[Director](/usc/42/11851.md?p=5)” and “Office” mean the [Director](/usc/42/11851.md?p=5) and Office specified in [subsection (c)](#c).
  - (2) **Federally qualified health center and rural health clinic—** The term “Federally qualified health center” and “rural health clinic” have the meanings given the terms in [section 1395x(aa) of this title](/usc/42/1395x.md?p=aa).
  - (3) **Frontier community—** The term “frontier community” shall have the meaning given the term in [regulations](/usc/42/201.md?p=d) issued under subsection (r).
  - (4) **Medically underserved area—** The term “medically underserved area” has the meaning given the term “medically underserved community” in [section 295p(6) of this title](/usc/42/295p.md?p=6).
  - (5) **Medically underserved population—** The term “[medically underserved population](/usc/42/300s–3.md?p=14)” has the meaning given the term in [section 254b(b)(3) of this title](/usc/42/254b.md?p=b-3).
  - (6) **Telehealth services—** The term “telehealth [services](/usc/42/201.md?p=a)” means [services](/usc/42/201.md?p=a) provided through telehealth technologies.
  - (7) **Telehealth technologies—** The term “telehealth technologies” means technologies relating to the use of electronic information, and telecommunications technologies, to support and promote, at a distance, health care, patient and professional health-related education, health administration, and public health.
- (b) **Programs—** The [Secretary](/usc/42/201.md?p=c) shall establish, under [section 241 of this title](/usc/42/241.md), telehealth network and telehealth resource centers grant [programs](/usc/42/274l–1.md?p=4).
- (c) **Administration—**
  - (1) **Establishment—** There is established in the Health Resources and [Services](/usc/42/201.md?p=a) Administration an Office for the Advancement of Telehealth. The Office shall be headed by a [Director](/usc/42/11851.md?p=5).
  - (2) **Duties—** The telehealth network and telehealth resource centers grant [programs](/usc/42/274l–1.md?p=4) established under [section 241 of this title](/usc/42/241.md) shall be administered by the [Director](/usc/42/11851.md?p=5), in consultation with the [State](/usc/42/201.md?p=f) offices of rural health, [State](/usc/42/201.md?p=f) offices concerning primary care, or other appropriate [State](/usc/42/201.md?p=f) government entities.
- (d) **Grants—**
  - (1) **Telehealth network grants—** The [Director](/usc/42/11851.md?p=5) may, in carrying out the telehealth network grant [program](/usc/42/274l–1.md?p=4) referred to in [subsection (b)](#b), award grants to eligible entities for evidence-based [projects](/usc/42/13641.md?p=2) that utilize telehealth technologies through telehealth networks in rural areas, frontier communities, and medically underserved areas, and for [medically underserved populations](/usc/42/300s–3.md?p=14), to—
    - (A) expand access to, coordinate, and improve access to, and the quality of, health [care services](/usc/42/300z–1.md?p=a-7); and
    - (B) expand and improve the quality of health information available to [health care providers](/usc/42/300aa–33.md?p=1),,[^1] patients, and their families.
  - (2) **Telehealth resource centers grants—** The [Director](/usc/42/11851.md?p=5) may, in carrying out the telehealth resource centers grant [program](/usc/42/274l–1.md?p=4) referred to in [subsection (b)](#b), award grants to eligible entities for [projects](/usc/42/13641.md?p=2) to support initiatives that utilize telehealth technologies in the areas and communities, and for the populations, described in [paragraph (1)](#d-1).
- (e) **Grant periods—** The [Director](/usc/42/11851.md?p=5) may award grants under this section for periods of not more than 5 years.
- (f) **Eligible entities—**
  - (1) **In general—** To be eligible to receive a grant under [subsection (d)(1)](#d-1), an entity shall demonstrate that the entity will provide [services](/usc/42/201.md?p=a) through a telehealth network.
  - (2) **Nature of entities—** Each entity participating in the telehealth network may be a [nonprofit](/usc/42/300s–3.md?p=3) or for-profit entity.
  - (3) **Composition of network—** The telehealth network shall include at least 2 of the following entities (at least 1 of which shall be a community-based [health care provider](/usc/42/300aa–33.md?p=1)):
    - (A) Community or migrant health centers or other Federally qualified health centers.
    - (B) [Health care providers](/usc/42/300aa–33.md?p=1), including pharmacists, in private practice.
    - (C) Entities operating clinics, including rural health clinics.
    - (D) Local health departments.
    - (E) [Nonprofit](/usc/42/300s–3.md?p=3) [hospitals](/usc/42/300s–3.md?p=1), including community access [hospitals](/usc/42/300s–3.md?p=1).
    - (F) Other publicly funded health or social [service](/usc/42/201.md?p=a) [agencies](/usc/42/8262.md?p=1).
    - (G) Long-term care [providers](/usc/42/299b–21.md?p=8).
    - (H) [Providers](/usc/42/299b–21.md?p=8) of health [care services](/usc/42/300z–1.md?p=a-7) in the home.
    - (I) [Providers](/usc/42/299b–21.md?p=8) of outpatient mental health and [substance use disorder services](/usc/42/290cc–34.md?p=4) and entities operating outpatient mental health and substance use disorder facilities.
    - (J) Local or regional emergency [health care providers](/usc/42/300aa–33.md?p=1).
    - (K) Institutions of higher education.
    - (L) Entities operating dental clinics.
    - (M) [Providers](/usc/42/299b–21.md?p=8) of prenatal, labor care, birthing, and postpartum [care services](/usc/42/300z–1.md?p=a-7), including [hospitals](/usc/42/300s–3.md?p=1) that operate obstetric care units.
- (g) **Applications—** To be eligible to receive a grant under [subsection (d)](#d), an eligible entity, in consultation with the appropriate [State](/usc/42/201.md?p=f) office of rural health or another appropriate [State](/usc/42/201.md?p=f) entity, shall prepare and submit to the [Secretary](/usc/42/201.md?p=c) an application, at such time, in such manner, and containing such information as the [Secretary](/usc/42/201.md?p=c) may require, including—
  - (1) a description of the [project](/usc/42/13641.md?p=2) that the eligible entity will carry out using the funds provided under the grant;
  - (2) a description of the manner in which the [project](/usc/42/13641.md?p=2) funded under the grant will meet the health care needs of rural or other populations to be served through the [project](/usc/42/13641.md?p=2), and improve the access to [services](/usc/42/201.md?p=a) of, and the quality of the [services](/usc/42/201.md?p=a) received by, those populations;
  - (3) evidence of local support for the [project](/usc/42/13641.md?p=2), and a description of how the areas, communities, or populations to be served will be involved in the development and ongoing operations of the [project](/usc/42/13641.md?p=2);
  - (4) a plan for sustaining the [project](/usc/42/13641.md?p=2) after Federal support for the [project](/usc/42/13641.md?p=2) has ended;
  - (5) information on the source and amount of non-Federal funds that the entity will provide for the [project](/usc/42/13641.md?p=2);
  - (6) information demonstrating the long-term viability of the [project](/usc/42/13641.md?p=2), and other evidence of institutional commitment of the entity to the [project](/usc/42/13641.md?p=2);
  - (7) in the case of an application for a [project](/usc/42/13641.md?p=2) involving a telehealth network, information demonstrating how the [project](/usc/42/13641.md?p=2) will promote the integration of telehealth technologies into the operations of [health care providers](/usc/42/300aa–33.md?p=1), to avoid redundancy, and improve access to and the quality of care; and
  - (8) other such information as the [Secretary](/usc/42/201.md?p=c) determines to be appropriate.
- (h) **Preferences—**
  - (1) **Telehealth networks—** In awarding grants under [subsection (d)(1)](#d-1) for [projects](/usc/42/13641.md?p=2) involving telehealth networks, the [Secretary](/usc/42/201.md?p=c) shall give preference to an eligible entity that meets at least 1 of the following requirements:
    - (A) **Organization—** The eligible entity is a rural community-based organization or another community-based organization.
    - (B) **Services—** The eligible entity proposes to use Federal funds made available through such a grant to develop plans for, or to establish, telehealth networks that provide mental health care, public health [services](/usc/42/201.md?p=a), long-term care, home care, preventive care, case management [services](/usc/42/201.md?p=a), prenatal care, labor care, birthing care, or postpartum care.
    - (C) **Coordination—** The eligible entity demonstrates how the [project](/usc/42/13641.md?p=2) to be carried out under the grant will be coordinated with other relevant federally funded [projects](/usc/42/13641.md?p=2) in the areas, communities, and populations to be served through the grant.
    - (D) **Network—** The eligible entity demonstrates that the [project](/usc/42/13641.md?p=2) involves a telehealth network that includes an entity that—
      - (i) provides clinical health [care services](/usc/42/300z–1.md?p=a-7), or educational [services](/usc/42/201.md?p=a) for [health care providers](/usc/42/300aa–33.md?p=1) and for patients or their families; and
      - (ii) is—
        - (I) a public library;
        - (II) an [institution of higher education](/usc/42/11851.md?p=7); or
        - (III) a local government entity.
    - (E) **Connectivity—** The eligible entity proposes a [project](/usc/42/13641.md?p=2) that promotes local and regional connectivity within areas, communities, or populations to be served through the [project](/usc/42/13641.md?p=2).
  - (2) **Telehealth resource centers—** In awarding grants under [subsection (d)(2)](#d-2) for [projects](/usc/42/13641.md?p=2) involving telehealth resource centers, the [Secretary](/usc/42/201.md?p=c) shall give preference to an eligible entity that meets at least 1 of the following requirements:
    - (A) **Provision of services—** The eligible entity has a record of success in the provision of telehealth [services](/usc/42/201.md?p=a) to rural areas, medically underserved areas, or [medically underserved populations](/usc/42/300s–3.md?p=14).
    - (B) **Collaboration and sharing of expertise—** The eligible entity has a demonstrated record of collaborating and sharing expertise with [providers](/usc/42/299b–21.md?p=8) of telehealth [services](/usc/42/201.md?p=a) at the national, regional, [State](/usc/42/201.md?p=f), and local levels.
    - (C) **Broad range of telehealth services—** The eligible entity has a record of providing a broad range of telehealth [services](/usc/42/201.md?p=a), which may include—
      - (i) a variety of clinical specialty [services](/usc/42/201.md?p=a);
      - (ii) patient or family education;
      - (iii) health care professional education; and
      - (iv) rural residency support [programs](/usc/42/274l–1.md?p=4).
- (i) **Distribution of funds—**
  - (1) **In general—** In awarding grants under this section, the [Director](/usc/42/11851.md?p=5) shall ensure, to the greatest extent possible, that such grants are equitably distributed among the geographical regions of the United States.
  - (2) **Telehealth networks—** In awarding grants under [subsection (d)(1)](#d-1) for a fiscal year, the [Director](/usc/42/11851.md?p=5) shall ensure that not less than 50 percent of the funds awarded shall be awarded for [projects](/usc/42/13641.md?p=2) in rural areas.
- (j) **Use of funds—**
  - (1) **Telehealth network program—** The recipient of a grant under [subsection (d)(1)](#d-1) may use funds received through such grant for salaries, equipment, and operating or other costs, including the cost of—
    - (A) developing and delivering clinical telehealth [services](/usc/42/201.md?p=a) that enhance access to community-based health [care services](/usc/42/300z–1.md?p=a-7) in rural areas, frontier communities, or medically underserved areas, or for [medically underserved populations](/usc/42/300s–3.md?p=14);
    - (B) developing and acquiring, through lease or purchase, equipment that furthers the objectives of the telehealth network grant [program](/usc/42/274l–1.md?p=4);
    - (C)
      - (i) developing and providing distance education, in a manner that enhances access to care in rural areas, frontier communities, or medically underserved areas, or for [medically underserved populations](/usc/42/300s–3.md?p=14); or
      - (ii) mentoring, precepting, or supervising [health care providers](/usc/42/300aa–33.md?p=1) and students seeking to become [health care providers](/usc/42/300aa–33.md?p=1), in a manner that enhances access to care in the areas and communities, or for the populations, described in [clause (i)](#j-1-C-i);
    - (D) developing and acquiring instructional programming;
    - (E)
      - (i) providing for transmission of medical data, and maintenance of equipment; and
      - (ii) providing for compensation (including travel expenses) of specialists, and referring [health care providers](/usc/42/300aa–33.md?p=1), who are providing telehealth [services](/usc/42/201.md?p=a) through the telehealth network, if no third party payment is available for the telehealth [services](/usc/42/201.md?p=a) delivered through the telehealth network;
    - (F) developing [projects](/usc/42/13641.md?p=2) to use telehealth technology to facilitate collaboration between [health care providers](/usc/42/300aa–33.md?p=1);
    - (G) collecting and analyzing usage statistics and data to document the cost-effectiveness of the telehealth [services](/usc/42/201.md?p=a); and
    - (H) carrying out such other activities as are consistent with achieving the objectives of this section, as determined by the [Secretary](/usc/42/201.md?p=c).
  - (2) **Telehealth resource centers—** The recipient of a grant under [subsection (d)(2)](#d-2) may use funds received through such grant for salaries, equipment, and operating or other costs for—
    - (A) providing technical assistance, training, and support, and providing for travel expenses, for [health care providers](/usc/42/300aa–33.md?p=1) and a range of health care entities that provide or will provide telehealth [services](/usc/42/201.md?p=a);
    - (B) disseminating information and research findings related to telehealth [services](/usc/42/201.md?p=a);
    - (C) promoting effective collaboration among telehealth resource centers and the Office;
    - (D) conducting evaluations to determine the best utilization of telehealth technologies to meet health care needs;
    - (E) promoting the integration of the technologies used in clinical information systems with other telehealth technologies;
    - (F) fostering the use of telehealth technologies to provide health care information and education for consumers in a more effective manner; and
    - (G) implementing special [projects](/usc/42/13641.md?p=2) or studies under the direction of the Office.
- (k) **Prohibited uses of funds—** An entity that receives a grant under this section may not use funds made available through the grant—
  - (1) to acquire real property;
  - (2) for expenditures to purchase or lease equipment, to the extent that the expenditures would exceed 20 percent of the total grant funds;
  - (3) in the case of a [project](/usc/42/13641.md?p=2) involving a telehealth network, to purchase or install transmission equipment;
  - (4) to pay for any equipment or transmission costs not directly related to the purposes for which the grant is awarded;
  - (5) to purchase or install general purpose voice telephone systems;
  - (6) for [construction](/usc/42/300s–3.md?p=7); or
  - (7) for expenditures for indirect costs (as determined by the [Secretary](/usc/42/201.md?p=c)), to the extent that the expenditures would exceed 15 percent of the total grant funds.
- (l) **Collaboration—** In providing [services](/usc/42/201.md?p=a) under this section, an eligible entity shall collaborate, if feasible, with entities that—
  - (1)
    - (A) are private or public organizations, that receive Federal or [State](/usc/42/201.md?p=f) assistance; or
    - (B) are public or private entities that operate centers, or carry out [programs](/usc/42/274l–1.md?p=4), that receive Federal or [State](/usc/42/201.md?p=f) assistance; and
  - (2) provide telehealth [services](/usc/42/201.md?p=a) or related activities.
- (m) **Coordination with other agencies—** The [Secretary](/usc/42/201.md?p=c) shall coordinate activities carried out under grant [programs](/usc/42/274l–1.md?p=4) described in [subsection (b)](#b), to the extent practicable, with Federal and [State agencies](/usc/42/300s–3.md?p=12) and [nonprofit](/usc/42/300s–3.md?p=3) organizations that are operating similar [programs](/usc/42/274l–1.md?p=4), to maximize the effect of public dollars in funding meritorious proposals.
- (n) **Outreach activities—** The [Secretary](/usc/42/201.md?p=c) shall establish and implement procedures to carry out outreach activities to advise potential end users of telehealth [services](/usc/42/201.md?p=a) in rural areas, frontier communities, medically underserved areas, and [medically underserved populations](/usc/42/300s–3.md?p=14) in each [State](/usc/42/201.md?p=f) about the grant [programs](/usc/42/274l–1.md?p=4) described in [subsection (b)](#b).
- (o) **Telehealth—** It is the sense of Congress that, for purposes of this section, [States](/usc/42/201.md?p=f) should develop reciprocity agreements so that a [provider](/usc/42/299b–21.md?p=8) of [services](/usc/42/201.md?p=a) under this section who is a licensed or otherwise authorized [health care provider](/usc/42/300aa–33.md?p=1) under the law of 1 or more [States](/usc/42/201.md?p=f), and who, through telehealth technology, consults with a licensed or otherwise authorized [health care provider](/usc/42/300aa–33.md?p=1) in another [State](/usc/42/201.md?p=f), is exempt, with respect to such consultation, from any [State](/usc/42/201.md?p=f) law of the other [State](/usc/42/201.md?p=f) that prohibits such consultation on the basis that the first [health care provider](/usc/42/300aa–33.md?p=1) is not a licensed or authorized [health care provider](/usc/42/300aa–33.md?p=1) under the law of that [State](/usc/42/201.md?p=f).
- (p) **Report—** Not later than 4 years after March 27, 2020, and every 5 years thereafter, the [Secretary](/usc/42/201.md?p=c) shall prepare and submit to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions of the Senate and the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the House of Representatives a report on the activities and outcomes of the grant [programs](/usc/42/274l–1.md?p=4) under [subsection (b)](#b).
- (q) **Authorization of appropriations—** There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section $29,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2021 through 2025.

## Footnotes

[^1]: So in original.

## Source credit

(July 1, 1944, ch. 373, title III, § 330I, as added Pub. L. 107–251, title II, § 212, Oct. 26, 2002, 116 Stat. 1632; amended Pub. L. 108–163, § 2(c), Dec. 6, 2003, 117 Stat. 2021; Pub. L. 113–55, title I, § 103(a), Nov. 27, 2013, 127 Stat. 642; Pub. L. 116–136, div. A, title III, § 3212, Mar. 27, 2020, 134 Stat. 368; Pub. L. 117–103, div. P, title I, § 143, Mar. 15, 2022, 136 Stat. 799.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### Amendments

2022—Subsec. (f)(3)(M). Pub. L. 117–103, § 143(1), added subpar. (M).

Subsec. (h)(1)(B). Pub. L. 117–103, § 143(2), substituted “prenatal care, labor care, birthing care, or postpartum care” for “or prenatal care for high-risk pregnancies”.

2020—Subsec. (d)(1). Pub. L. 116–136, § 3212(1)(A)(i), substituted “evidence-based projects that utilize telehealth technologies through telehealth networks” for “projects to demonstrate how telehealth technologies can be used through telehealth networks” in introductory provisions.

Subsec. (d)(1)(A). Pub. L. 116–136, § 3212(1)(A)(ii), substituted “access to, and the quality of,” for “the quality of” and inserted “and” after semicolon.

Subsec. (d)(1)(B), (C). Pub. L. 116–136, § 3212(1)(A)(iii)–(v), redesignated subpar. (C) as (B), substituted “, patients, and their families” for “and patients and their families, for decisionmaking”, and struck out former subpar. (B) which read as follows: “improve and expand the training of health care providers; and”.

Subsec. (d)(2). Pub. L. 116–136, § 3212(1)(B), substituted “support initiatives that utilize telehealth technologies” for “demonstrate how telehealth technologies can be used” and struck out “, to establish telehealth resource centers” before period at end.

Subsec. (e). Pub. L. 116–136, § 3212(2), substituted “5 years” for “4 years”.

Subsec. (f). Pub. L. 116–136, § 3212(3)(B), redesignated cls. (i) to (iii) of par. (1)(B) as pars. (1) to (3), respectively, and realigned margins; in par. (3), redesignated subcls. (I) to (XII) as subpars. (A) to (L), respectively, and realigned margins; and struck out heading of former par. (1), headings of former subpars. (A) and (B) of former par. (1), and text of former subpar. (A) which read as follows: “To be eligible to receive a grant under subsection (d)(1), an entity shall be a nonprofit entity.”

Subsec. (f)(2). Pub. L. 116–136, § 3212(3)(A), struck out par. (2). Text read as follows: “To be eligible to receive a grant under subsection (d)(2), an entity shall be a nonprofit entity.”

Subsec. (f)(3)(I). Pub. L. 116–136, § 3212(3)(C), inserted “and substance use disorder” after “mental health” in two places.

Subsec. (g)(2). Pub. L. 116–136, § 3212(4), substituted “and improve” for “or improve”.

Subsec. (h). Pub. L. 116–136, § 3212(5), (6), redesignated subsec. (i) as (h) and struck out former subsec. (h). Prior to amendment, text of subsec. (h) read as follows: “The Secretary shall establish the terms and conditions of each grant program described in subsection (b) and the maximum amount of a grant to be awarded to an individual recipient for each fiscal year under this section. The Secretary shall publish, in a publication of the Health Resources and Services Administration, notice of the application requirements for each grant program described in subsection (b) for each fiscal year.”

Subsec. (h)(1)(B). Pub. L. 116–136, § 3212(7)(A)(i), substituted “mental health care, public health services, long-term care, home care, preventive care” for “mental health, public health, long-term care, home care, preventive”.

Subsec. (h)(1)(E). Pub. L. 116–136, § 3212(7)(A)(ii), inserted “and regional” after “local”.

Subsec. (h)(1)(F). Pub. L. 116–136, § 3212(7)(A)(iii), struck out subpar. (F). Text read as follows: “The eligible entity demonstrates that health care information has been integrated into the project.”

Subsec. (h)(2)(A). Pub. L. 116–136, § 3212(7)(B), substituted “rural areas, medically underserved areas, or” for “medically underserved areas or”.

Subsec. (i). Pub. L. 116–136, § 3212(6), redesignated subsec. (j) as (i). Former subsec. (i) redesignated (h).

Subsec. (i)(2). Pub. L. 116–136, § 3212(8), substituted “ensure that not less than 50 percent of the funds awarded shall be awarded for projects in rural areas.” for “ensure that—

“(A) not less than 50 percent of the funds awarded shall be awarded for projects in rural areas; and

“(B) the total amount of funds awarded for such projects for that fiscal year shall be not less than the total amount of funds awarded for such projects for fiscal year 2001 under section 254c of this title (as in effect on the day before October 26, 2002).”

Subsec. (j). Pub. L. 116–136, § 3212(6), redesignated subsec. (k) as (j). Former subsec. (j) redesignated (i).

Subsec. (j)(1)(B). Pub. L. 116–136, § 3212(9)(A), struck out “computer hardware and software, audio and video equipment, computer network equipment, interactive equipment, data terminal equipment, and other” before “equipment that furthers the objectives”.

Subsec. (j)(2)(F). Pub. L. 116–136, § 3212(9)(B), struck out “health care providers and” before “consumers”.

Subsec. (k). Pub. L. 116–136, § 3212(6), redesignated subsec. (l) as (k). Former subsec. (k) redesignated (j).

Subsec. (k)(2). Pub. L. 116–136, § 3212(10)(A), substituted “20 percent” for “40 percent”.

Subsec. (k)(3). Pub. L. 116–136, § 3212(10)(B), struck out “(such as laying cable or telephone lines, or purchasing or installing microwave towers, satellite dishes, amplifiers, or digital switching equipment)” before semicolon at end.

Subsecs. (l) to (o). Pub. L. 116–136, § 3212(6), redesignated subsecs. (m) to (p) as (l) to (o), respectively. Former subsec. (l) redesignated (k).

Subsec. (p). Pub. L. 116–136, § 3212(11), added subsec. (p).

Subsec. (q). Pub. L. 116–136, § 3212(13), substituted “this section $29,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2021 through 2025.” for “this section—

“(1) for grants under subsection (d)(1), $40,000,000 for fiscal year 2002, and such sums as may be necessary for each of fiscal years 2003 through 2006; and

“(2) for grants under subsection (d)(2), $20,000,000 for fiscal year 2002, and such sums as may be necessary for each of fiscal years 2003 through 2006.”

Pub. L. 116–136, § 3212(11), (12), redesignated subsec. (s) as (q) and struck out former subsec. (q). Prior to amendment, text of subsec. (q) read as follows: “Not later than September 30, 2005, the Secretary shall prepare and submit to the appropriate committees of Congress a report on the progress and accomplishments of the grant programs described in subsection (b).”

Subsec. (r). Pub. L. 116–136, § 3212(11), struck out subsec. (r). Text read as follows: “The Secretary shall issue regulations specifying, for purposes of this section, a definition of the term “frontier area”. The definition shall be based on factors that include population density, travel distance in miles to the nearest medical facility, travel time in minutes to the nearest medical facility, and such other factors as the Secretary determines to be appropriate. The Secretary shall develop the definition in consultation with the Director of the Bureau of the Census and the Administrator of the Economic Research Service of the Department of Agriculture.”

Subsec. (s). Pub. L. 116–136, § 3212(12), redesignated subsec. (s) as (q).

2013—Subsec. (i)(1)(B). Pub. L. 113–55 substituted “case management services, or prenatal care for high-risk pregnancies” for “or case management services”.

2003—Subsec. (a)(4). Pub. L. 108–163, § 2(c)(1), substituted “section 295p(6)” for “section 295p”.

Subsec. (c)(1). Pub. L. 108–163, § 2(c)(2), substituted “Health Resources and Services Administration” for “Health and Resources and Services Administration”.

### Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Effective Date of 2003 Amendment

Amendments by Pub. L. 108–163 deemed to have taken effect immediately after the enactment of Pub. L. 107–251, see section 3 of Pub. L. 108–163, set out as a note under section 233 of this title.

### Guidance on Furnishing Services Via Telehealth to Individuals With Limited English Proficiency

Pub. L. 119–75, div. J, title II, § 6213, Feb. 3, 2026, 140 Stat. 653, provided that: In General.—Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this section [Feb. 3, 2026], the Secretary of Health and Human Services, in consultation with 1 or more entities from each of the categories described in paragraphs (1) through (7) of subsection (b), shall issue and disseminate, or update and revise as applicable, guidance for the entities described in such subsection on the following: Best practices on facilitating and integrating use of interpreters during a telemedicine appointment. Best practices on providing accessible instructions on how to access telecommunications systems (as such term is used for purposes of section 1834(m) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395m(m)) for individuals with limited English proficiency. Best practices on improving access to digital patient portals for individuals with limited English proficiency. Best practices on integrating the use of video platforms that enable multi-person video calls furnished via a telecommunications system for purposes of providing interpretation during a telemedicine appointment for an individual with limited English proficiency. Best practices for providing patient materials, communications, and instructions in multiple languages, including text message appointment reminders and prescription information. Entities Described.—For purposes of subsection (a), an entity described in this subsection is an entity in 1 or more of the following categories: Health information technology service providers, including— electronic medical record companies; remote patient monitoring companies; and telehealth or mobile health vendors and companies. Health care providers, including— physicians; and hospitals. Health insurers. Language service companies. Interpreter or translator professional associations. Health and language services quality certification organizations. Patient and consumer advocates, including such advocates that work with individuals with limited English proficiency.”