H.B. No. 997 aims to expand the provision of telehealth and telemedicine services by allowing health professionals located outside of Texas to offer these services to patients within the state. The bill amends the Insurance Code and Occupations Code to redefine "health professional" and "physician" to include those licensed or certified by agencies in other states. It also introduces a new section that permits out-of-state health professionals to provide telehealth services if they hold a valid license from another state, are not under disciplinary action, and register with the appropriate Texas licensing agency.

Additionally, the bill outlines the requirements for registration, including the submission of an application and payment of a registration fee. It mandates that these out-of-state professionals comply with Texas laws, maintain liability insurance, consent to the jurisdiction of Texas courts, and be subject to disciplinary actions for any violations. The provisions of this act will apply to health benefit plans issued or renewed on or after January 1, 2026, and the act is set to take effect on September 1, 2025.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: Occupations Code 111.001 (Occupations Code 111)