House Bill No. 6001 July Special Session, Public Act No. 20-2 An Act Concerning Telehealth This bill expands access to telehealth services in Connecticut. Telehealth is the mode of delivering healthcare or other health services using information and communication technologies. It allows patients to receive care remotely, through virtual consultations with healthcare providers, and includes services such as diagnosis, treatment, education, and care management. The bill defines various terms related to telehealth, such as "asynchronous" (communication that doesn't happen in real-time), "synchronous" (real-time interaction), and "store and forward transfer" (the transmission of medical data from one location to another). It also defines "telehealth provider" as a licensed healthcare professional who provides services through telehealth. Key provisions of the bill include: - Telehealth providers must comply with the standard of care applicable to their profession and have access to the patient's medical history and health record. - Telehealth services must be provided through real-time, interactive communication technology or store and forward transfer technology. - Telehealth providers must provide their license number and contact information to patients. - During a specific time period, telehealth providers may only provide services to patients who have health coverage and determine if their coverage includes telehealth. - Telehealth providers must obtain patient consent and inform patients about the limitations of telehealth services. - Controlled substances can only be prescribed through telehealth for specific conditions. - Telehealth providers must ask patients if they consent to the disclosure of records to their primary care provider. - Telehealth services and records must comply with applicable laws, regulations, and privacy requirements. The bill also includes provisions related to insurance coverage for telehealth services. It requires individual and group health insurance policies to provide coverage for telehealth services to the same extent as in-person services. Telehealth providers cannot charge patients more than what their insurance covers, except for standard out-of-pocket expenses. Additionally, the bill allows health carriers to conduct utilization reviews for telehealth services and prohibits them from reducing reimbursement to telehealth providers for appropriately provided services. The bill also expands telehealth coverage under the Connecticut medical assistance program (Medicaid and Children's Health Insurance Program), allowing audio-only telehealth services to be covered. This bill aims to increase access to healthcare by allowing patients to receive services remotely through telehealth, while ensuring that appropriate standards of care and patient protections are maintained.

Sen. Gary Winfield

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