MENTAL HEALTH CARE TREATMENT THROUGH TELEMEDICINE.

SEC. 702. [10 U.S.C. 1145 note] MENTAL HEALTH CARE TREATMENT THROUGH TELEMEDICINE. (a) Provision of Mental Health Care Via Telemedicine.— (1) In general.—In carrying out the Transitional Assistance Management Program, the Secretary of Defense may extend the coverage of such program for covered individuals for an additional 180 days for mental health care provided through telemedicine. (2) Report.—If the Secretary extends coverage under paragraph (1), by not later than one year after the date of carrying out such extension, the Secretary shall submit to the congressional defense committees a report that includes the following: (A) The rate at which individuals are using the extended coverage provided pursuant to paragraph (1). (B) A description of the mental health care provided pursuant to such subsection. (C) An analysis of how the Secretary and the Secretary of Veterans Affairs coordinate the continuation of care with respect to veterans who are no longer eligible for the Transitional Assistance Management Program. (D) Any other factors the Secretary of Defense determines necessary with respect to extending coverage of the Transitional Assistance Management Program. (3) Termination.—The authority of the Secretary to carry out subsection (a) shall terminate on December 31, 2018. (b) Report on Use of Telemedicine.— (1) In general.—Not later than 270 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to the congressional defense committees a report on the use of telemedicine to improve the diagnosis and treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder, traumatic brain injuries, and mental health conditions. (2) Elements.—The report under paragraph (1) shall address the following: (A) The current status, as of the date of the report, of telemedicine initiatives within the Department of Defense to diagnose and treat post-traumatic stress disorder, traumatic brain injuries, and mental health conditions. (B) Plans for integrating telemedicine into the military health care system, including in health care delivery, records management, medical education, public health, and private sector partnerships. (C) The status of the integration of the telemedicine initiatives of the Department with the telemedicine initiatives of the Department of Veterans Affairs. (D) A description and assessment of challenges to the use of telemedicine as a means of in-home treatment, outreach in rural areas, and in settings that provide group treatment or therapy in connection with treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder, traumatic brain injuries, and mental health conditions, and a description and assessment of efforts to address such challenges. (E) A description of privacy issues related to the use of telemedicine for the treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder, traumatic brain injuries, and mental health conditions, and recommendations for mechanisms to remedy any privacy concerns relating to such use of telemedicine. (F) A description of professional licensing issues with respect to licensed medical providers who provide treatment using telemedicine. (c) Definitions.—In this section: (1) The term “covered individual” means an individual who— (A) during the initial 180-day period of being enrolled in the Transitional Assistance Management Program, received any mental health care; or (B) during the one-year period preceding separation or discharge from the Armed Forces, received any mental health care. (2) The term “telemedicine” means the use by a health care provider of telecommunications to assist in the diagnosis or treatment of a patient’s medical condition.