It seems the efforts of telemedicine advocates to change federal law and allow greater prescribing of controlled substances are no longer falling on deaf ears. Congress just released a pair of draft discussion bills to amend the federal Ryan Haight Act. The “Improving Access to Remote Behavioral Health Treatment Act” would allow certain community mental…… Continue reading this entry
Alaska’s Department of Commerce, Community, and Economic Development has finalized new regulations to create a special Telemedicine Business Registry for health care providers delivering telemedicine services in the Frontier State. The regulations in Title 12, Chapter 02 of the Alaska Administrative Code were effective on April 28, 2017 and implement provisions of Alaska SB 74…… Continue reading this entry
Vermont health care providers and patients can now enjoy a revamped, and significantly improved, telehealth commercial insurance coverage law. Vermont Governor Phil Scott signed S. 50 into law on June 7, 2017, expanding commercial coverage and payment parity in the Green Mountain State by requiring Vermont Medicaid and private health plans to pay for telemedicine…… Continue reading this entry
Congress is reconsidering a nationwide telehealth coverage bill, named the Medicare Telehealth Parity Act of 2017, designed to introduce an incremental, though significant, expansion of coverage for telehealth services under the Medicare program. The bipartisan Act is sponsored by Representative Mike Thompson (D-CA), with seven co-sponsors to date (four Republican, three Democrat). If enacted, the…… Continue reading this entry
Oklahoma Governor Mary Fallin recently signed into law SB 726, establishing new telemedicine practice standards, including explicitly allowing doctors to create valid physician-patient relationships via telemedicine without an in-person exam. The new law is effective November 1, 2017. The bill creates a new section in the Oklahoma Code (Sections 478 and 478.1 of Title 59)….… Continue reading this entry
Michigan Governor Rick Snyder, recently signed into law SB 213, clarifying that health professionals in Michigan may prescribe controlled substances via telemedicine without an in-person examination. The law reverses a 2016 telehealth bill that prevented providers from prescribing controlled substances via telehealth technologies. Under the new law, a health care professional treating a patient via…… Continue reading this entry
On August 4, 2017, the Florida Board of Medicine will hold a third public hearing to discuss its proposed amendment to Florida’s telemedicine practice rules regarding medical marijuana. The Board held two prior public hearings, after which it delayed implementation of the rule for further consideration. Notice of the upcoming public hearing comes only days…… Continue reading this entry
On May 12, 2017, the Texas State Legislature passed SB 1107, a law expanding the use of telemedicine in the Lone Star State. The bill is now on its way to Governor Abbot’s desk where he is expected to sign it into law. Specifically, SB 1107 changes prior Texas law and now allows physicians in…… Continue reading this entry
The Ohio Medical Board just last week adopted new rules for telemedicine prescribing of drugs and controlled substances, allowing providers to prescribe drugs via telemedicine without conducting an in-person examination. Effective March 23, 2017, the new rule 4731-11-09 and rule 7331-11-01 set forth the requirements a physician must follow when prescribing via telemedicine in Ohio. … Continue reading this entry