Bill Text: CT HB05299 | 2018 | General Assembly | Introduced

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Bill Title: An Act Concerning Telehealth Prescribing For Treatment Of Psychiatric Disorders.

Spectrum: Committee Bill

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2018-03-09 - Public Hearing 03/16 [HB05299 Detail]

Download: Connecticut-2018-HB05299-Introduced.html

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General Assembly		Raised Bill No. 5299
February Session, 2018		LCO No. 1453
		*01453_______PH_*
Referred to Committee on PUBLIC HEALTH
Introduced by:
(PH)

AN ACT CONCERNING TELEHEALTH PRESCRIBING FOR TREATMENT OF PSYCHIATRIC DISORDERS.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Assembly convened:

Section 1. Section 19a-906 of the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 1, 2018):

(a) As used in this section:

(1) "Asynchronous" means any transmission to another site for review at a later time that uses a camera or other technology to capture images or data to be recorded.

(2) "Health record" means the record of individual, health-related information that may include, but need not be limited to, continuity of care documents, discharge summaries and other information or data relating to a patient's demographics, medical history, medication, allergies, immunizations, laboratory test results, radiology or other diagnostic images, vital signs and statistics.

(3) "Facility fee" has the same meaning as in section 19a-508c.

(4) "Medical history" means information, including, but not limited to, a patient's past illnesses, medications, hospitalizations, family history of illness if known, the name and address of the patient's primary care provider if known and other matters relating to the health condition of the patient at the time of a telehealth interaction.

(5) "Originating site" means a site at which a patient is located at the time health care services are provided to the patient by means of telehealth.

(6) "Peripheral devices" means the instruments a telehealth provider uses to perform a patient exam, including, but not limited to, stethoscope, otoscope, ophthalmoscope, sphygmomanometer, thermometer, tongue depressor and reflex hammer.

(7) "Remote patient monitoring" means the personal health and medical data collection from a patient in one location via electronic communication technologies that is then transmitted to a telehealth provider located at a distant site for the purpose of health care monitoring to assist the effective management of the patient's treatment, care and related support.

(8) "Store and forward transfer" means the asynchronous transmission of a patient's medical information from an originating site to the telehealth provider at a distant site.

(9) "Synchronous" means real-time interactive technology.

(10) "Telehealth" means the mode of delivering health care or other health services via information and communication technologies to facilitate the diagnosis, consultation and treatment, education, care management and self-management of a patient's physical and mental health, and includes (A) interaction between the patient at the originating site and the telehealth provider at a distant site, and (B) synchronous interactions, asynchronous store and forward transfers or remote patient monitoring. Telehealth does not include the use of facsimile, audio-only telephone, texting or electronic mail.

(11) "Telehealth provider" means any physician licensed under chapter 370, physical therapist licensed under chapter 376, chiropractor licensed under chapter 372, naturopath licensed under chapter 373, podiatrist licensed under chapter 375, occupational therapist licensed under chapter 376a, optometrist licensed under chapter 380, advanced practice registered nurse licensed under chapter 378, physician assistant licensed under chapter 370, psychologist licensed under chapter 383, marital and family therapist licensed under chapter 383a, clinical social worker or master social worker licensed under chapter 383b, alcohol and drug counselor licensed under chapter 376b, professional counselor licensed under chapter 383c, dietitian-nutritionist certified under chapter 384b, speech and language pathologist licensed under chapter 399, respiratory care practitioner licensed under chapter 381a or audiologist licensed under chapter 397a, who is providing health care or other health services through the use of telehealth within such person's scope of practice and in accordance with the standard of care applicable to the profession.

(b) (1) A telehealth provider shall only provide telehealth services to a patient when the telehealth provider: (A) Is communicating through real-time, interactive, two-way communication technology or store and forward technologies; (B) has access to, or knowledge of, the patient's medical history, as provided by the patient, and the patient's health record, including the name and address of the patient's primary care provider, if any; (C) conforms to the standard of care applicable to the telehealth provider's profession and expected for in-person care as appropriate to the patient's age and presenting condition, except when the standard of care requires the use of diagnostic testing and performance of a physical examination, such testing or examination may be carried out through the use of peripheral devices appropriate to the patient's condition; and (D) provides the patient with the telehealth's provider license number and contact information.

(2) At the time of the telehealth provider's first telehealth interaction with a patient, the telehealth provider shall inform the patient concerning the treatment methods and limitations of treatment using a telehealth platform. [and, after providing the patient with such information, obtain the patient's consent to provide telehealth services. The telehealth provider shall document such notice and consent in the patient's health record.]

(c) Notwithstanding the provisions of this section or title 20, no telehealth provider shall prescribe schedule I, II or III controlled substances through the use of telehealth, except for the treatment of psychiatric disorders. A telehealth provider may not prescribe through the use of telehealth any schedule I, II or III controlled substances for the treatment of chronic nonmalignant pain.

(d) [Each telehealth provider shall, at the time of each telehealth interaction, ask the patient whether the patient consents to the telehealth's provider disclosure of records concerning the telehealth interaction to the patient's primary care provider.] If [the] a patient [consents to such disclosure] requests that the telehealth provider disclose a copy of the patent's telehealth interaction with the patient's primary care provider, the telehealth provider shall provide such records to the patient's primary care provider, in a timely manner, in accordance with the provisions of sections 20-7b to 20-7e, inclusive.

(e) The provision of telehealth services and health records maintained and disclosed as part of a telehealth interaction shall comply with the provisions of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 P.L. 104-191, as amended from time to time.

(f) Nothing in this section shall prohibit: (1) A health care provider from providing on-call coverage pursuant to an agreement with another health care provider or such health care provider's professional entity or employer; (2) a health care provider from consulting with another health care provider concerning a patient's care; or (3) orders of health care providers for hospital outpatients or inpatients. For purposes of this subsection, "health care provider" means a person or entity licensed or certified pursuant to chapter 370, 372, 373, 375, 376 to 376b, inclusive, 378, 379, 380, 381a, 383 to 383c, inclusive, 384b, 397a or 399 or licensed or certified pursuant to chapter 368d or 384d.

(g) No telehealth provider shall charge a facility fee for telehealth services.

Sec. 2. Section 20-613a of the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 1, 2018):

In the absence of a documented patient evaluation that includes a physical examination or an examination conducted using telehealth in accordance with section 19a-906, as amended by this act, any request for a controlled substance issued solely on the results of answers to an electronic questionnaire shall be considered to be issued outside the context of a valid practitioner-patient relationship and not be a valid prescription. The Commissioner of Consumer Protection may adopt regulations, in accordance with chapter 54, concerning such requests for controlled substances. For the purposes of this section, "electronic questionnaire" means any form in an electronic format that may require personal, financial or medical information from a consumer or patient.

Sec. 3. Section 38a-499a of the 2018 supplement to the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 1, 2018):

(a) As used in this section, "telehealth" has the same meaning as provided in section 19a-906, as amended by this act.

(b) Each individual health insurance policy providing coverage of the type specified in subdivisions (1), (2), (4), (11) and (12) of section 38a-469 of the general statutes delivered, issued for delivery, renewed, amended or continued in this state shall provide coverage for medical advice, diagnosis, care or treatment provided through telehealth, to the extent coverage is provided for such advice, diagnosis, care or treatment when provided through in-person consultation between the insured and a health care provider. Such coverage shall be subject to the same terms and conditions applicable to all other benefits under such policy.

(c) No such policy shall: (1) Exclude a service for coverage solely because such service is provided only through telehealth and not through in-person consultation between the insured and a health care provider, provided telehealth is appropriate for the provision of such service; or (2) be required to reimburse a treating or consulting health care provider for the technical fees or technical costs for the provision of telehealth services.

(d) Under each such policy, an insurer shall compensate the provider for covered services delivered via telehealth on the same basis and at least the same rate as the insurer would apply to the services if the services had been delivered in person by the provider.

[(d)] (e) Nothing in this section shall prohibit or limit a health insurer, health care center, hospital service corporation, medical service corporation or other entity from conducting utilization review for telehealth services, provided such utilization review is conducted in the same manner and uses the same clinical review criteria as a utilization review for an in-person consultation for the same service.

Sec. 4. Section 38a-526a of the 2018 supplement to the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 1, 2018):

(a) As used in this section, "telehealth" has the same meaning as provided in section 19a-906, as amended by this act.

(b) Each group health insurance policy providing coverage of the type specified in subdivisions (1), (2), (4), (11) and (12) of section 38a-469 of the general statutes delivered, issued for delivery, renewed, amended or continued in this state shall provide coverage for medical advice, diagnosis, care or treatment provided through telehealth, to the extent coverage is provided for such advice, diagnosis, care or treatment when provided through in-person consultation between the insured and a health care provider. Such coverage shall be subject to the same terms and conditions applicable to all other benefits under such policy.

(c) No such policy shall: (1) Exclude a service for coverage solely because such service is provided only through telehealth and not through in-person consultation between the insured and a health care provider, provided telehealth is appropriate for the provision of such service; or (2) be required to reimburse a treating or consulting health care provider for the technical fees or technical costs for the provision of telehealth services.

(d) Under each such policy, an insurer shall compensate the provider for covered services delivered via telehealth on the same basis and at least the same rate as the insurer would apply to the services if the services had been delivered in person by the provider.

[(d)] (e) Nothing in this section shall prohibit or limit a health insurer, health care center, hospital service corporation, medical service corporation or other entity from conducting utilization review for telehealth services, provided such utilization review is conducted in the same manner and uses the same clinical review criteria as a utilization review for an in-person consultation for the same service.

This act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following sections:
Section 1	October 1, 2018	19a-906
Sec. 2	October 1, 2018	20-613a
Sec. 3	October 1, 2018	38a-499a
Sec. 4	October 1, 2018	38a-526a

Statement of Purpose:

To (1) allow Connecticut licensed physicians to prescribe certain medications via telehealth for treatment of psychiatric disorders and change certain patient consent requirements; (2) add telehealth examinations; and (3) implement payment for parity for telehealth services.

[Proposed deletions are enclosed in brackets. Proposed additions are indicated by underline, except that when the entire text of a bill or resolution or a section of a bill or resolution is new, it is not underlined.]