AN ACT CONCERNING TELEHEALTH.
To: (1) Define, and redefine, various terms concerning telehealth; (2) expand the variety of health care providers who may provide telehealth services and the circumstances under which such providers may provide such services; (3) provide that a telehealth provider (A) may only provide a telehealth service to a patient when such provider has determined whether (i) the patient has health coverage that is fully insured, not fully insured or provided through Medicaid or the Children's Health Insurance Program, and (ii) the patient's health coverage, if any, provides coverage for such service, (B) who is an in-network provider, or enrolled in the Connecticut medical assistance program and provides telehealth services to a Connecticut medical assistance program recipient, may use any information or communication technology in accordance with the directions, modifications or revisions, if any, made by the Office for Civil Rights of the United States Department of Health and Human Services to the provisions of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 P.L. 104-191, as amended from time to time, or the rules and regulations adopted thereunder, (C) who provides health care or health services to a patient through telehealth shall (i) accept, as full payment for such care or services, the amount that (I) Medicare reimburses for such care or services if such provider determines that the patient does not have health coverage for such care or services, or (II) the patient's health coverage reimburses, and any cost-sharing, for such care or services if such provider determines that the patient has health coverage for such care or services, and (ii) offer to the patient financial assistance if such provider (I) is required to offer such assistance, and (II) determines that such patient is unable to pay for such care or services, and (D) may provide telehealth services from any location; (4) require any Connecticut entity or institution that, or health care provider who, engages or contracts with a telehealth provider who is licensed, certified or registered in another jurisdiction (A) verify such telehealth provider's credentials, (B) ensure that such telehealth provider is in good standing, and (C) confirm that such telehealth provider maintains liability insurance or other indemnity; (5) authorize the Commissioner of Public Health to temporarily waive, modify or suspend certain regulatory requirements; (6) expand required health insurance coverage for services provided through telehealth under certain individual and group health insurance policies and restrict a telehealth provider's ability to collect certain payments from insureds under such policies; and (7) provide that no health carrier shall reduce any reimbursement paid to a telehealth provider for covered health care or health services that such provider appropriately provided to an insured through telehealth because such provider provided such care or services through telehealth.
Introduced by:
Insurance and Real Estate Committee
