Establishes telehealth as a reimbursable service.

A BILL FOR AN ACT

SECTION 1. The legislature finds that the use of technology to deliver effective and prompt healthcare is extremely important in Hawaii, particularly to individuals residing in rural communities. The legislature further finds that the necessity of telehealth services requires that they be reimbursed.

The purpose of this Act is to ensure that telehealth services are reimbursed.

SECTION 2. Section 431:10A-116.3, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended to read as follows:

"§431:10A-116.3 [[]Coverage for telehealth.[]] (a) It is the intent of the legislature to recognize the application of telehealth as a reimbursable service by which an individual shall receive medical services from a health care provider without face-to-face contact with the provider.

[(b) For the purposes of this section, "telehealth" means the use of telecommunications services, as defined in section 269-1, and enhanced services to deliver health and health care services and information to parties separated by distance. Standard telephone, facsimile transmissions, or both in the absence of other integrated information and data, do not constitute telehealth services.

(c) From July 1, 1998, no] (b) No accident and health or sickness insurance plan that is issued, amended, or renewed shall require face-to-face contact between a health care provider and a patient as a prerequisite for payment for services appropriately provided through telehealth in accordance with generally accepted health care practices and standards prevailing in the applicable professional community at the time the services were provided. The coverage required in this section may be subject to all terms and conditions of the plan agreed upon among the enrollee or subscriber, the insurer, and the provider.

(c) There shall be no reimbursement for telehealth consultation between physicians unless an existing doctor-patient relationship exists between the patient and one of the physicians involved in the consultation.

(d) For the purposes of this section, "telehealth" means the use of telecommunications services, as defined in section 269-1, including but not limited to real time video conferencing-based communication, secure interactive and non-interactive web-based communication, and secure asynchronous information exchange, to transmit patient medical information, including diagnostic-quality digital images and laboratory results for medical interpretation and diagnosis, for the purpose of delivering enhanced health care services and information to parties separated by distance. Standard telephone, facsimile transmissions, or email, in the absence of other integrated information and data, does not constitute a telehealth service."

SECTION 3. Section 432:1-601.5, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended to read as follows:

"[[]§432:1-601.5 Coverage for telehealth.[]] (a) It is the intent of the legislature to recognize the application of telehealth as a reimbursable service by which an individual shall receive medical services from a health care provider without face-to-face contact with the provider.

[(b) For the purposes of this section, "telehealth" means the use of telecommunications services, as defined in section 269-1, and enhanced services to deliver health and health care services and information to parties separated by distance. Standard telephone, facsimile transmissions, or both in the absence of other integrated information and data, do not constitute telehealth services.

(c) From July 1, 1998, no] (b) No accident and health or sickness insurance plan that is issued, amended, or renewed shall require face-to-face contact between a health care provider and a patient as a prerequisite for payment for services appropriately provided through telehealth in accordance with generally accepted health care practices and standards prevailing in the applicable professional community at the time the services were provided. The coverage required in this section may be subject to all terms and conditions of the plan agreed upon among the enrollee or subscriber, the insurer, and the provider.

(c) There shall be no reimbursement for telehealth consultation between physicians unless an existing doctor-patient relationship exists between the patient and one of the physicians involved in the consultation.

(d) For the purposes of this section, "telehealth" means the use of telecommunications services, as defined in section 269-1, including but not limited to real time video conferencing-based communication, secure interactive and non-interactive web-based communication, and secure asynchronous information exchange, to transmit patient medical information, including diagnostic-quality digital images and laboratory results for medical interpretation and diagnosis, for the purpose of delivering enhanced health care services and information to parties separated by distance. Standard telephone, facsimile transmissions, or email in the absence of other integrated information and data, does not constitute a telehealth service."

SECTION 4. Section 432D-23.5, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended to read as follows:

"[[]§432D-23.5 Coverage for telehealth.[]] (a) It is the intent of the legislature to recognize the application of telehealth as a reimbursable service by which an individual shall receive medical services from a health care provider without face-to-face contact with the provider.

[(b) For the purposes of this section, "telehealth" means the use of telecommunications services, as defined in section 269-1, and enhanced services to deliver health and health care services and information to parties separated by distance. Standard telephone, facsimile transmissions, or both in the absence of other integrated information and data, do not constitute telehealth services.

(c) From July 1, 1998, no] (b) No accident and health or sickness insurance plan that is issued, amended, or renewed shall require face-to-face contact between a health care provider and a patient as a prerequisite for payment for services appropriately provided through telehealth in accordance with generally accepted health care practices and standards prevailing in the applicable professional community at the time the services were provided. The coverage required in this section may be subject to all terms and conditions of the plan agreed upon among the enrollee or subscriber, the insurer, and the provider.

(c) There shall be no reimbursement for telehealth consultation between physicians unless an existing doctor-patient relationship exists between the patient and one of the physicians involved in the consultation.

(d) For the purposes of this section, "telehealth" means the use of telecommunications services, as defined in section 269-1, including but not limited to real time video conferencing-based communication, secure interactive and non-interactive web-based communication, and secure asynchronous information exchange, to transmit patient medical information, including diagnostic-quality digital images and laboratory results for medical interpretation and diagnosis, for the purpose of delivering enhanced health care services and information to parties separated by distance. Standard telephone, facsimile transmissions, or email in the absence of other integrated information and data, does not constitute a telehealth service."

SECTION 5. Statutory material to be repealed is bracketed and stricken. New statutory material is underscored.

SECTION 6. This Act shall take effect upon its approval.