Substitute House Bill No. 5198, known as Public Act No. 24-110, revises the definition and regulations of telehealth services, excluding the use of facsimile, audio-only telephone, texting, or electronic mail. It broadens the scope of "telehealth provider" to include any health care provider licensed under title 20 and pharmacists licensed by the Department of Consumer Protection, provided they operate within their scope of practice and adhere to the applicable standard of care. The bill modifies existing law by removing specific professional titles, replacing them with a more inclusive category, and setting new requirements for out-of-state mental or behavioral health care providers, such as registration with the Department of Public Health and applying for a Connecticut license within certain time frames.

The legislation outlines the conditions for telehealth services, including informed consent, prohibition of prescribing certain controlled substances except under specific conditions, and compliance with HIPAA. It prohibits facility fees for telehealth services and requires providers to disclose costs and accept various forms of payment, including Medicare reimbursement rates. The bill also allows telehealth providers to deliver services from any location, mandates verification of out-of-state providers' credentials, and sets a 45-day deadline for the Commissioner of Public Health to issue decisions on applications for licenses, certificates, or registrations. Additionally, it updates the list of professionals who can provide telehealth services and requires the Department of Public Health to collect data on telehealth providers, with reports due to the General Assembly by specific dates. The bill includes insertions and deletions to the existing law, such as the repeal of certain sections related to telehealth and the exemption of telehealth providers from the requirement to have the technological capacity to issue electronically transmitted prescriptions.

Statutes affected:
PH Joint Favorable Substitute:
File No. 124:
File No. 641:
Public Act No. 24-110: