Telehealth trends focus on state legislative and regulatory developments impacting healthcare providers, telemedicine and digital health companies, pharmacists, and technology companies that provide and facilitate virtual care.
Trends over the past week:
- Expansion of telemedicine
- Telemedicine practice requirements
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Final legislation and rulemaking:
- Indiana Enacts SB 132, requiring out-of-state providers licensed in Indiana and their employers/contractors to certify that they are subject to Indiana jurisdiction and law before providing telehealth services in Indiana. Removed the requirement that the license form be submitted to the Indiana Professional Licensing Agency. Provider remains subject to the jurisdiction and substantive and procedural laws of the State of Indiana.
- in IndianaSB 104 was also enacted to require veterinarians and veterinary technicians to disclose certain information when renewing their license or registration certificate, including whether services are provided through telemedicine.
- new hampshire Adopted a final rule with amendments describing the initial application process, qualifications, renewals, and audits for psychologists. The requirements for a telepath license for psychologists are also clarified.
- Utah Enacted HB 44, which would bring Utah into the Social Work Licensing Compact.
- Utah Enacted HB 145, which allows veterinarians to supervise veterinarians through telemedicine. Previously, veterinarians were only allowed to supervise state-certified veterinary technicians through telemedicine.
Proposal stage legislative and rulemaking activities:
highlight:
- in maryland, HB 1078 passed the first chamber. The bill would require state Medicaid programs to provide ultrasound and remote fetal nonstress testing under certain circumstances.
- in wisconsin, SB 823 passed the first chamber. This bill would require out-of-state practitioners to register with the Department of Safety and Professional Services or the applicable Wisconsin Board of Credentialing in order to provide telehealth services in Wisconsin.
- in kentucky, HB 829 passed the First Chamber. The bill would, among other things, require a patient or designated caregiver to complete a consultation with a certified pharmacist before purchasing medical marijuana and require patients to complete a consultation annually. The bill includes an exception to the visitation requirement for visiting eligible patients presenting a valid out-of-state registration identification and a diagnosis of a qualifying condition. It provides that consultations can be completed through telemedicine and establishes a process for pharmacists to become authorized to provide medical cannabis consultations.
- in michiganThe proposed rule would require chiropractors to obtain consent from patients before providing telehealth services, to maintain evidence of consent in the patient's medical record, and to require chiropractors to obtain consent from patients before providing telehealth services, and to require chiropractors to maintain evidence of consent in the patient's medical record when providing services via telehealth. would require chiropractors to provide the same standards of care that apply to in-person services.
- in nevadathe proposed rule would require dentists to collect digital written consent from patients, specify record-keeping requirements for teledentistry, establish standards for collaboration with other providers, and more. , intends to establish provisions related to teledentistry.
- in texasthe proposed rule would allow physical therapists serving students with disabilities in educational settings to perform certain tests via telehealth by removing on-site testing requirements .
- in wisconsinThe proposed rule would require optometrists to be licensed in Wisconsin or obtain a temporary certification from the Board of Optometric Examiners in order to provide optometry services via telemedicine to patients residing in Wisconsin. There is a need.
Why it's important:
- States continue to amend and clarify professional practice requirements regarding telehealth. With the increase in care delivery through virtual modalities, Congress is adopting standards governing the practice of telehealth across multiple health care professions and revising existing standards to reflect current technology and practices. As states continue to expand the types of services that can be provided through telehealth modalities, these expansions often come with new requirements that providers must adhere to in order to provide telehealth services.
