1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Home health Emergency Access to Telehealth Act or the HEAT Act . 2. Authorization of payments for home health services furnished via visual or audio telecommunication systems during an emergency period (a) Waiver authority (1) In general The first sentence of section 1135(b) of the Social Security Act ( 42 U.S.C. 1320b–5(b) ) is amended— (A) in paragraph (7), by striking and at the end; (B) in paragraph (8), by striking the period at the end and inserting ; and ; and (C) by adding the following new paragraph: (9) in the case of home health services furnished in an emergency area (or portion of such an area) during any portion of any emergency period (as those terms are defined in subsection (g)(1)(C)), the provisions of subparagraphs (A) and (B) of section 1895(e)(1), as determined appropriate by the Secretary. . (2) Definitions of emergency area; emergency period Section 1135(g)(1) of the Social Security Act ( 42 U.S.C. 1320b–5(g)(1) ) is amended— (A) in subparagraph (A), by striking subparagraph (B) and inserting subparagraphs (B) and (C) ; and (B) by adding at the end the following new subparagraph: (C) Additional exception For purposes of subsection (b)(9), an emergency area is a geographical area in which, and an emergency period is the period during which, there exists a public health emergency declared by the Secretary pursuant to section 319 of the Public Health Service Act. . (b) Authorization Section 1895(e) of the Social Security Act ( 42 U.S.C. 1395fff(e) ) is amended— (1) in paragraph (1), by striking Nothing and inserting Subject to paragraph (2), nothing ; (2) by redesignating paragraph (2) as paragraph (3)