The bill amends Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 256B.0625, subdivision 3b, to extend medical assistance coverage for audio-only telehealth services. It specifies that telehealth services, including those delivered solely through audio communication, will be covered from July 1, 2025, to July 1, 2028, as long as they meet the necessary criteria for safety and efficacy established by the commissioner. The bill outlines the documentation requirements for health care providers delivering telehealth services, ensuring that they maintain records that comply with existing regulations and demonstrate the appropriateness of telehealth for each patient.

Additionally, the bill clarifies the definition of telehealth to include real-time audio-only communication during the specified period, while maintaining that telehealth generally involves interactive audio and visual communication. The effective date of the new provisions is set for July 1, 2025, or upon federal approval, whichever occurs later. The commissioner of human services is tasked with notifying the revisor of statutes once federal approval is obtained.

Statutes affected:
Introduction: 256B.0625