Division of the Budget
Landon State Office Building Phone: (785) 296-2436
900 SW Jackson Street, Room 504 adam.c.proffitt@ks.gov
Topeka, KS 66612 Division of the Budget http://budget.kansas.gov
Adam Proffitt, Director Laura Kelly, Governor


April 14, 2023


The Honorable Beverly Gossage, Chairperson
Senate Committee on Public Health and Welfare
300 SW 10th Avenue, Room 142-S
Topeka, Kansas 66612
Dear Senator Gossage:
SUBJECT: Fiscal Note for SB 246 by Senate Committee on Ways and Means
In accordance with KSA 75-3715a, the following fiscal note concerning SB 246 is
respectfully submitted to your committee.
SB 246 would create the Kansas Telehealth Advisory Committee, which would be required
to advise and make recommendations regarding telemedicine quality care practices. The
Committee would consist of 22 voting members and three non-voting members from various
health and insurance related professions, entities, state agencies, and the Legislature. The bill
would include requirements for the Committee and would add and amend definitions within the
Kansas Telemedicine Act. The bill would specify that telemedicine could be used by an in-state
practitioner to refer a patient to a specialty service healthcare provider to the extent that such
services are consistent with the standard of care for an in-state practitioner. The bill would also
contain specifications for use of audio-only communication by practitioners. Accident and health
insurance plans and policies would be prohibited from requiring the use of any specific information
technology application by an in-state practitioner and the bill would include new requirements for
coverage of certain telemedicine services. SB 246 would be effective upon publication in the
Kansas Register.
According to Legislative Administrative Services, enactment of SB 246 would increase
expenditures for the Legislature by $17,367, all from the State General Fund, in FY 2024. This
estimate assumes the minimum four meetings of the Advisory Committee created by the bill and
uses salary and subsistence rates currently in place. The estimate includes $14,628 for the pay of
six Legislators, $2,499 for a Committee Assistant, and $240 for publication in the Kansas Register.
The Kansas State Board of Healing Arts states that enactment of the bill would have a
negligible fiscal effect on the agency and any additional workload would be handled within
The Honorable Beverly Gossage, Chairperson
Page 2—SB 246

existing resources. The Kansas State Board of Nursing also anticipates a negligible fiscal effect.
According to the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, the Kansas Insurance
Department, and the Behavioral Sciences Regulatory Board, enactment of SB 246 would not result
in a fiscal effect on the operations of any of the respective agencies. Any fiscal effect associated
with SB 246 is not reflected in The FY 2024 Governor’s Budget Report.


Sincerely,

Adam Proffitt
Director of the Budget

cc: Karen Clowers, Legislative Services
Gordon Self, Revisor of Statutes
J.G. Scott, Legislative Research
Susan Gile, Board of Healing Arts
Amy Penrod, Department of Health & Environment
Bobbi Mariani, Insurance Department
David Fye, Behavioral Sciences Regulatory Board
Jill Simons, Board of Nursing


Statutes affected:
As introduced: 75-3223, 40-2