The bill aims to enhance telehealth services and improve digital equity in Massachusetts by amending various sections of the General Laws. Key provisions include the establishment of a common application portal for affordable broadband programs and the expansion of telehealth definitions to encompass e-consults, e-visits, remote patient monitoring, and remote therapeutic monitoring. It mandates that telehealth coverage includes reimbursement for these services and prohibits insurance carriers from imposing prior authorization requirements that differ from those for in-person services. Additionally, the bill emphasizes the importance of digital health literacy by requiring health maintenance organizations (HMOs) to develop procedures for identifying and educating subscribers with low digital health literacy, including providing interpreter services for patients with limited English proficiency or those who are deaf or hard of hearing.

Furthermore, the legislation establishes a Digital Bridge Pilot Program to support telehealth services in communities disproportionately affected by COVID-19 and creates a Digital Health Navigator Tech Literacy Pilot Program to assist patients facing language or digital literacy challenges. A task force will be formed to address interstate telehealth practice barriers, and a special commission will study health outcome inequities and digital access, focusing on the recruitment and implementation of digital health navigators. The bill also mandates annual reporting on the effectiveness of digital health literacy programs and repeals Sections 77 and 79 of chapter 260 of the acts of 2020. Overall, the bill seeks to improve access to healthcare through telehealth while ensuring that vulnerable populations receive the necessary support and resources.

Statutes affected:
Bill Text: 32A-30, 118E-79, 175-47MM, 176A-38, 176B-25, 176A-25, 176G-33, 176I-13, 176O-26