Trending in Telehealth: November 19 – 25, 2024

Trending in Telehealth highlights state legislative and regulatory developments that impact the healthcare providers, telehealth and digital health companies, pharmacists, and technology companies that deliver and facilitate the delivery of virtual care.

Trending in the past week:

  • Medical marijuana

A CLOSER LOOK

Finalized Legislation & Rulemaking:

  • In New York, the governor signed an act (A 8168) requiring Medicaid to provide remote ultrasound and remote fetal nonstress tests in certain circumstances.
  • In Massachusetts, the Massachusetts Cannabis Control Commission finalized amendments that permit patients to request a telehealth appointment for a patient’s initial visit to a provider. An initial visit conducted via telehealth must be synchronous and face-to-face. The adopted changes also permit certified providers to be out-of-state so long as the conditions for certification are met.

Why it matters:

  • Regulators continue to recognize telehealth as an effective care delivery method in new settings. Massachusetts’ decision to permit the use of telehealth to conduct a patient’s initial visit to a provider for a certificate of registration for medical marijuana and New York Medicaid coverage of remote ultrasounds and fetal nonstress tests reflects growing recognition by regulators that telehealth can be an effective care delivery method for a wide range of procedures and patients.

Telehealth is an important development in care delivery, but the regulatory patchwork is complicated. The McDermott Digital Health team works alongside the industry’s leading providers, payors and technology innovators to help them enter new markets, break down barriers to delivering accessible care and mitigate enforcement risk through proactive compliance.




Trending in Telehealth: November 12 – 19, 2024

Trending in Telehealth highlights state legislative and regulatory developments that impact the healthcare providers, telehealth and digital health companies, pharmacists, and technology companies that deliver and facilitate the delivery of virtual care.

Trending in the past week:

  • Veterinary services

A CLOSER LOOK

Proposed Legislation & Rulemaking:

  • In Florida, the Board of Veterinary Medicine proposed a rule that would require veterinarians to include a notation in the medical record if an examination was conducted by telehealth. The Board also proposed a set of guidelines that the Board must follow when imposing disciplinary penalties for violations of telehealth practice rules. The penalties include reprimand, suspension with administrative fines, and revocation of the individual’s license.
  • In New York, a bill requiring Medicaid to provide remote ultrasound procedures and remote fetal nonstress tests in certain circumstances passed the first house.

Why it matters:

  • Regulation of the use of telehealth in veterinary medicine continues to grow. Florida joins an increasing number of states beginning to develop regulations specifically related to the practice of veterinary medicine via telehealth. This emerging trend in the health industry regulation reflects the steady adoption of telehealth as a valuable care delivery modality across the full gambit of health services industries.

Telehealth is an important development in care delivery, but the regulatory patchwork is complicated. The McDermott Digital Health team works alongside the industry’s leading providers, payors and technology innovators to help them enter new markets, break down barriers to delivering accessible care and mitigate enforcement risk through proactive compliance.




Trending in Telehealth: October 29 – November 11, 2024

Trending in Telehealth highlights state legislative and regulatory developments that impact the healthcare providers, telehealth and digital health companies, pharmacists, and technology companies that deliver and facilitate the delivery of virtual care.

Trending in the past week:

  • Interstate compacts
  • Behavioral health
  • Veterinary services
  • Disciplinary guidelines

A CLOSER LOOK

Proposed Legislation & Rulemaking:

  • In Washington, the Veterinary Board of Governors proposed amendments to board regulations to address the provision of veterinary services via telehealth. The proposed rule would permit licensed veterinarians to use telehealth to provide general health advice and emergency animal care advice, prescribe non-controlled substance sedation medication to facilitate transportation to an in-person visit, and, in certain circumstances, to dispense non-controlled substance medications prescribed by another veterinarian. Once a veterinarian-client-patient relationship had been established, the proposed rule would permit ongoing care to be provided via telemedicine.
  • In California, the Board of Behavioral Sciences proposed amendments to its telehealth rule to require licensed providers rendering services via telehealth to employ technologies, methods, and equipment that comply with all applicable federal and state privacy, confidentiality, and security laws, including HIPAA and the California Confidentiality of Medical Information Act.
  • South Carolina’s Department of Public Health released a proposal to permit licensed opioid treatment programs to perform the required initial screening examination via telehealth for patients admitted for treatment with buprenorphine or methadone. The proposed rule would require the use of audio-visual communications when evaluating patients for treatment using Schedule II medications but would permit use of audio-only platforms when treating patients with Schedule III medications.

Finalized Legislation & Rulemaking Activity:

  • The Florida Board of Clinical Social Work, Marriage and Family Therapy, and Mental Health Counseling finalized a set of guidelines that the board must follow when imposing disciplinary penalties upon telehealth registrants. The penalties include fines, reprimands, suspension with a corrective action plan, and revocation of the individual’s license.
  • In the District of Columbia, the mayor signed a bill (B 25-287) in which DC joins the Interstate Counseling Compact.

Why it matters:

  • Adoption of interstate licensure compacts continues to grow. Over the past year, there has been a notable trend of adoption of interstate licensure compacts for a wide range of providers. Even during slow periods for legislative and regulatory activity, DC’s adoption of the Interstate Counseling Compact reflects continued interest in these compacts.
  • States continue to adapt to the ongoing relevance of telehealth as a method of care delivery. The rule amendments proposed in Washington to permit the delivery of veterinary services via telehealth reflects ongoing recognition that telehealth can be used to provide a wide range of health services. The recently adopted disciplinary guidelines in Florida demonstrate how states have begun to adopt regulations specifically with telehealth in mind.

Telehealth is an important development in care delivery, but the regulatory patchwork is complicated. The McDermott Digital Health team works alongside the industry’s leading providers, payors, and technology [...]

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Trending in Telehealth: October 21 – 28, 2024

Trending in Telehealth highlights state legislative and regulatory developments that impact the healthcare providers, telehealth and digital health companies, pharmacists, and technology companies that deliver and facilitate the delivery of virtual care.

Trending in the past week:

  • Professional standards
  • Marriage and family therapy services
  • Advance practice registered nurses (APRNs)

A CLOSER LOOK

Finalized Rulemaking:

  • The Arkansas Department of Health adopted a final rule setting forth requirements for the provision of marriage and family therapy services. The rule defines telemedicine and requires that a therapist-client relationship be established prior to the delivery of telemedicine services. Counselors and therapists also must document the treatment record, establish protocols for emergency services referrals, and provide the client with an electronic or hard copy of the treatment record documenting the encounter, if requested. While group therapy may be delivered via telemedicine, the rule precludes the use of group therapy for individuals 18 years of age or younger.
  • The Arkansas Board of Nursing adopted a final rule imposing requirements for APRNs providing care via telemedicine. Like the rule promulgated by the Department of Health, this rule requires APRNs to establish an APRN-patient relationship prior to the delivery of telemedicine services. An APRN rendering telemedicine services in Arkansas must be licensed to practice nursing in the state and cannot prescribe controlled substances unless the APRN has seen the patient for an in-person exam or a relationship exists through consultation or referral.

Why it matters:

  • States continue to implement rules to ensure that virtual care is delivered effectively, safely, and ethically. The Arkansas Department of Health and Board of Nursing enacted similar regulations, mandating that practitioners adhere to specific professional standards, including those related to scope of practice and licensure.
  • With the election less than one week away, legislative and regulatory activity remains slow. We anticipate an uptick in telehealth-related activity once the election concludes.

Telehealth is an important development in care delivery, but the regulatory patchwork is complicated. The McDermott digital health team works alongside the industry’s leading providers, payors, and technology innovators to help them enter new markets, break down barriers to delivering accessible care, and mitigate enforcement risk through proactive compliance.




Trending in Telehealth: October 14 – 21, 2024

Trending in Telehealth highlights state legislative and regulatory developments that impact the healthcare providers, telehealth and digital health companies, pharmacists, and technology companies that deliver and facilitate the delivery of virtual care.

Trending in the past week:

  • Medical practice standards
  • Maternal care
  • Opioid treatment

A CLOSER LOOK

Proposed Legislation & Rulemaking:

  • The Massachusetts Executive Office of Health and Human Services Division of Medical Assistance proposed a rule to establish requirements for the participation of programs of assertive community treatment (PACTs) in MassHealth. Each PACT provider may render services via telehealth, with justification for each instance of telehealth use documented and supported in the member’s record. The PACT provider also must be available to respond to member needs 24 hours per day, seven days a week, 365 days a year by phone, in person, or via telehealth whenever appropriate or safe. This includes ongoing or crisis services determined by member need.

Finalized Legislation & Rulemaking:

  • North Carolina adopted an emergency rule mandating that opioid treatment program (OTP) counseling staff be available, either in person or by telehealth, a minimum of five days per week. OTPs must establish and implement policies to determine the appropriateness of telehealth services that take into consideration the patient’s choice along with the patient’s behavior and physical and cognitive abilities. The patient’s verbal or written consent must also be documented when telehealth services are provided.

Why it matters:

  • States are proposing rules to ensure that healthcare providers are available around the clock to respond to patient needs through telehealth. Massachusetts’s PACT rule would require 24/7 provider availability, whether in person or via telehealth.
  • States continue to implement informed consent requirements for telehealth providers. North Carolina OTP providers must obtain written consent prior to rendering telehealth services.
  • As the election approaches, both legislative and regulatory activity remain slow.

Telehealth is an important development in care delivery, but the regulatory patchwork is complicated. The McDermott digital health team works alongside the industry’s leading providers, payors, and technology innovators to help them enter new markets, break down barriers to delivering accessible care, and mitigate enforcement risk through proactive compliance.




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