SPONSOR: Ruth
COMMITTEE ACTION: Voted "Do Pass with HCS" by the Standing Committee on Health and Mental Health Policy by a vote of 14 to 1. Voted "Do Pass" by the Standing Committee on Rules- Administrative Oversight by a vote of 10 to 2.
The following is a summary of the House Committee Substitute for HB 495.
This bill modifies the definition of "telemedicine" to include adaptive questionnaire digital technology.
The bill allows a physician to establish a physician-patient relationship through telemedicine by utilizing an adaptive questionnaire to establish an informed diagnosis. The bill also allows a physician's designee to use a digital format through an adaptive questionnaire based on professional practice standards to provide treatment sufficient to establish a physician-patient relationship in order to prescribe drugs or treatment.
The bill also states that any use of technology through an adaptive questionnaire shall not constitute an electronic visit.
The following is a summary of the public testimony from the committee hearing. The testimony was based on the introduced version of the bill.
PROPONENTS: Supporters say that the bill will improve doctor patient relationships. As you answer questions using the adaptive questionnaire it starts narrowing the scope of questions to get a determination of a possible medical diagnosis. Through the Governor's Executive Order on allowing more telemedicine visits because of the pandemic we have seen a major upswing in its use and this bill will help to continue to get patients important services and keep telemedicine in the forefront.
Testifying for the bill were Representative Ruth; Elizabeth Peterson; Missouri Hospital Association; Association Of Missouri Nurse Practitioners; and SSM Health.
OPPONENTS: Those who oppose the bill say that patient relationships shouldn't be established by a questionnaire. There could be a glitch in the system that could give wrong answers and could hurt someone by giving them the wrong treatment. This might even be used for people to get medical marijuana by gaming the system. Testifying against the bill was Missouri State Medical Association.
OTHERS: Others testifying on the bill say that the executive order suspended part of the telemedicine regulations to allow for more use and the computer can not tell you how to get properly diagnosed, you need to have a relationship with your doctor. We also don't want this used as another way to charge insurance companies.
Testifying on the bill was America's Health Insurance Plans.
Written testimony has been submitted for this bill. The full written testimony can be found under Testimony on the bill page on the House website.
Statutes affected: