Telemedicine is a growing practice nationwide to expand access to care to underserved areas and to make care more affordable.
Most state legislatures are considering measures in telemedicine, ranging from allowing telehealth in more specialties to creating telemedicine boards and piloting test programs to reduce emergency department admissions. Only six states are not currently considering any telemedicine actions — Alabama, Alaska, Delaware, North Carolina, South Carolina and Wisconsin, according to the American Telemedicine Association.
Here is a list of pending legislation and which states currently have parity laws for private insurance coverage and Medicaid coverage.
Arizona
∙ Arizona has passed legislation requiring parity for private insurer coverage of telemedicine services.
∙ HB 2454, a bill that would repeal the prohibition of telemedicine abortions, is in debate.
∙ HB 2489, a bill that would add some prescription drug restrictions through telemedicine, is in debate.
∙ SB 1212, a senate bill that would define telepractice for behavioral health examiners, is in debate.
Arkansas
∙ Arkansas has proposed legislation that would require parity of private insurer coverage and Medicaid coverage of telemedicine services.
∙ SB 133, a bill requiring telehealth parity under Medicaid, private insurers and state employee health plans and amending provider practice standards, is in debate.
∙ HB 1076 and SB 53, two bills restricting telemedicine use for abortions, are in debate.
∙ HB 1747 and SB 845, two bills that amend physician practice standards on telemedicine, are in debate.
∙ SB 846, a bill "to encourage telemedicine," is in debate.
California
∙ California has passed legislation requiring the parity of private insurer coverage and Medicaid coverage for telemedicine services.
∙ AB 250, a bill that expands the definition of "telehealth healthcare provider" to include a marriage and family therapist and trainee, is in debate.
∙ SB 289, a bill that requires insurers to cover telephonic and electronic patient management services, is in debate.
Colorado
∙ Colorado has passed legislation requiring the parity of private insurer coverage and Medicaid coverage for telemedicine services.
∙ HB 1029, a bill that removes geography barriers from parity laws, is in debate.
Connecticut
∙ Connecticut has proposed legislation to require the parity of private insurance coverage for telemedicine services.
∙ SB 467, HB 6487 and SB 246, three bills that would establish physician practice standards for telemedicine and require coverage under private insurance, are in debate.
∙ HB 6149, a bill legalizing the practice of home telemonitoring, is in debate.
District of Columbia
∙ The District of Columbia has proposed legislation to require the parity of private insurance and Medicaid coverage for telemedicine services.
Florida
∙ SB 478, a bill that would require Medicaid coverage of telemedicine for EMTs and paramedics, is in debate.
∙ HB 545, a bill that would set practice standards for telemedicine services, is in debate.
Georgia
∙ Georgia has passed legislation requiring the parity of private insurance for telemedicine services.
∙ HB 505, a bill allowing the inclusion of telehealth services in physical therapy, is in debate.
Hawaii
∙ Hawaii has passed legislation requiring the parity of private insurance for telemedicine services.
Idaho
∙ HB 98 and HB 189, two bills that set provider practice standards for the practice of telemedicine, are in debate.
∙ HB 154, a bill that would prohibit the prescription of abortion-inducing medications via telemedicine, is in debate.
Illinois
∙ HB 76, a bill that would require partial coverage for telemental and behavioral telehealth services, is in debate.
∙ SB 1229, part of the Federation of State Medical Boards Compact that would simplify the state licensure procedure, is in debate.
Indiana
∙ Indiana has proposed legislation to require parity of private insurer coverage for telemedicine services.
∙ Indiana has passed legislation requiring the parity of Medicaid coverage for telemedicine services.
∙ SB 358, a bill that would provide Medicaid reimbursement to pharmacists for medication therapy management by telehealth methods, is in debate.
∙ HB 1451 and HB 1269, two bills that would require coverage for telemedicine, are in debate.
Iowa
∙ Iowa has proposed legislation to require parity of private insurer coverage and Medicaid coverage for telemedicine services.
∙ SB 20, part of the Federation of State Medical Boards Compact that would simplify the state licensure procedure, is in debate.
∙ SB 1021, a bill allowing telepharmacy services, is in debate.
∙ HF 218 and HF 404, a bill requiring parity for private insurance, Medicaid and state employee plan coverage for telemedicine services, is in debate.
∙ HF 317, a bill requiring parity for mental health services via telemedicine under private insurance, Medicaid and state employee plans, is in debate.
∙ SSB 1253, a bill requiring telehealth parity under Medicaid managed care, is in debate.
Kansas
∙ Kansas has proposed legislation requiring parity of Medicaid coverage for telemedicine services.
∙ HB 2270, a bill amending Medicaid policies for telehealth, is in debate.
∙ HB 2321, a bill expanding the definition of charitable healthcare providers to include certain uses of telemedicine, is in debate.
Kentucky
∙ Kentucky has passed legislation requiring parity of private insurance coverage and Medicaid coverage for telemedicine services.
∙ HB 121, a bill that allows telehealth service use for mental health exams during the 72-hour hold period, is in debate.
Louisiana
∙ Louisiana has passed legislation requiring the parity of private insurance coverage for telemedicine services.
Maine
∙ Maine has passed legislation requiring the parity of private insurance coverage for telemedicine services.
∙ LD 662, a bill requiring out-of-state telemedicine licensing registration, is in debate.
Maryland
∙ Maryland has passed legislation requiring parity for private insurance coverage and Medicaid coverage for telemedicine services.
∙ HB 1026 and SB 318, two bills allowing reimbursement to psychiatric nurse practitioners for telemental health under Medicaid, are in debate.
∙ SB 252, part of the Federation of State Medical Boards Compact that would simplify the state licensure procedure, is in debate.
Michigan
∙ Michigan has passed legislation requiring the parity of private insurance coverage for telemedicine services.
Minnesota
∙ Minnesota has proposed legislation to require parity of private insurance coverage for telemedicine services.
∙ Minnesota has passed legislation requiring the parity of Medicaid coverage for telemedicine services.
∙ SB 253, part of the Federation of State Medical Boards Compact that would simplify the state licensure procedure, is in debate.
∙ HF 850, a bill that allows for Medicaid payment for intensive rehabilitative mental health services via telemedicine, is in debate.
Mississippi
∙ Mississippi has passed legislation requiring the parity of private insurance coverage and Medicaid coverage for telemedicine services.
Missouri
∙ Missouri has passed legislation requiring the parity of private insurance coverage for telemedicine services.
∙ Missouri has proposed legislation to require the parity of Medicaid coverage for telemedicine services.
∙ SB 230, a bill allowing the practice of out-of-state telehealth providers and Missouri Medicaid telemedicine services, is in debate.
∙ HB 320, a bill allowing school-based telemedicine services, is in debate.
∙ HB 340, a bill adding school-based health centers to a Medicaid originating site list, is in debate.
∙ HB 965, a bill permitting Medicaid coverage of home telemonitoring, is in debate.
∙ HB 1014 — a bill permitting Medicaid coverage of store-and-forward telemedicine care for orthopedics, dermatology, ophthalmology in cases of diabetic retinopathy, burn and wound care, and maternal-fetal medicine ultrasounds — is in debate.
Montana
∙ Montana has passed legislation requiring the parity of private insurance coverage for telemedicine services.
∙ SB 77, a bill repealing the requirement of telemedicine licensure and amending the physician scope of practice for telemedicine services, is in debate.
∙ HB 429, part of the Federation of State Medical Boards Compact that would simplify the state licensure procedure, is in debate.
∙ HB 587, a bill requiring providers to be present in a room during the provision of certain abortion services, is in debate.
Nebraska
∙ Nebraska has passed legislation requiring the parity of Medicaid coverage for telemedicine services.
∙ LB 518, a bill establishing a new health savings program under Medicaid and including a telephone triage program, is in debate.
∙ LB 37, a bill allowing telepharmacy services, is in debate.
∙ LB 257, a bill allowing telemedicine descriptions for health plans, is in debate.
∙ LB 258, part of the Federation of State Medical Boards Compact that would simplify the state licensure procedure, is in debate.
Nevada
∙ AB 115, a bill setting telepractice standards for speech-language pathology and audiology, is in debate.
New Hampshire
∙ New Hampshire has passed legislation requiring the parity of private insurance coverage for telemedicine services.
∙ SB 84, a bill setting standards for the patient-practitioner relationship and advanced practice registered nurses, is in debate.
∙ HB 232, a bill establishing a community mental health program and including telemedicine in a study on the suicide risk assessment, treatment and management, is in debate.
∙ SB 112, a bill expanding the parity law to include managed care, is in debate.
New Jersey
∙ New Jersey has proposed legislation to require parity for private insurance coverage and Medicaid coverage for telemedicine services.
∙ S 2729 and A 4231, a bill authorizing telemedicine nder scope of practice and creating reciprocal licenses for out-of-state providers, is in debate.
∙ A 3674 S 2337, a bill requiring parity for Medicaid fee-for-service and managed care, is in debate.
∙ S 1204 and AB 2161, a bill requiring Medicaid coverage and reimbursement of telemental health in federally qualified health centers, is in debate.
New Mexico
∙ New Mexico has passed legislation requiring parity for private insurance coverage for telemedicine services.
∙ SB 6, a bill that include telehealth under dental therapists' scope of practice, is in debate.
∙ HB 349, a bill amending telemedicine definitions under the dental scope of practice, is in debate.
New York
∙ New York has passed legislation requiring parity for private insurance coverage and Medicaid coverage for telemedicine services that will go into effect Jan. 1, 2016.
∙ SB 4182, a bill that adds dental offices to parity lists of originating sites, is in debate.
∙ AB 2527, a bill that supports the 1115 Waiver application establish the Senior Care Choices, is in debate.
∙ SB 1110, a bill establishing a hospital-home care-physician collaboration program, is in debate.
∙ AB 815, a bill proposing home telehealth payment reform, is in debate.
∙ SB 621, a bill proposing a telemedicine research and development fund, is in debate.
North Dakota
∙ SB 1323, a bill proposing a statewide task force for stroke and telemedicine, is in debate.
∙ HB 1038, a bill proposing telemedicine coverage under state employee health plans, is in debate.
Ohio
∙ Ohio has proposed legislation requiring the parity of private insurance coverage and Medicaid coverage for telemedicine services.
Oklahoma
∙ Oklahoma has passed legislation requiring the parity of private insurance coverage for telemedicine services.
∙ SB 305, a bill adding state employee and other health benefit plans to the parity law, is in debate.
∙ HB 1715 and SB 753, two bills allowing the supervision of physician assistants via telemedicine, is in debate.
∙ SB 758, a bill that caps the Medicaid reimbursement rate for telemedicine, is in debate.
∙ HB 1716, part of the Federation of State Medical Boards Compact that would simplify the state licensure procedure, is in debate.
Oregon
∙ Oregon has passed legislation requiring the parity of private insurance coverage for telemedicine services.
∙ SB 144, a bill remoting the originating site restrictions and adding state employee health plans to the parity law, is in debate.
∙ SB 151, a bill adding state employee health plans to the parity law, is in debate.
Pennsylvania
∙ Pennsylvania has proposed legislation to require the parity of private insurance coverage for telemedicine services.
Rhode Island
∙ Rhode Island has proposed legislation for the parity of private insurance coverage and Medicaid coverage for telemedicine services.
South Dakota
∙ SB 63, part of the Federation of State Medical Boards Compact that would simplify the state licensure procedure, is in debate.
Tennessee
∙ Tennessee has passed legislation requiring the parity of private insurance coverage and Medicaid coverage for telemedicine services.
∙ HB 976 and SB 1214, two bills allowing the practice of teledentistry, are in debate.
∙ SB 1223 and HB 699, two bills setting healthcare provider telemedicine practice standards, are in debate.
Texas
∙ Texas has passed legislation requiring the parity of private insurance coverage for telemedicine services.
∙ Texas has proposed legislation for the parity of Medicaid coverage for telemedicine services.
∙ HB 2172, a bill amending the telehealth practice standards for all licensed healthcare providers, is in debate.
∙ SB 219 and HB 550, two bills allowing Medicaid reimbursement for hospice or persona assistance services through telemedicine, are in debate.
∙ SB 190, part of the Federation of State Medical Boards Compact that would simplify the state licensure procedure, is in debate.
∙ HB 2082, a bill allowing a telemedicine pilot program for children with chronic or complex medical needs, is in debate.
Utah
∙ HB 121, part of the Federation of State Medical Boards Compact that would simplify the state licensure procedure, is in debate.
∙ HB 433, a bill to include telemedicine under the medical retainer agreement, is in debate.
Vermont
∙ Vermont has passed legislation requiring the parity of private insurance coverage for telemedicine services.
∙ SB 718 and SB 5011, two bills allowing a telemedicine pilot program to reduce emergency department use, are in debate.
∙ SB 647, a bill allowing for a teledentristry pilot program, has passed the Viginia Senate and is in now going to its House of Representatives for debate.
Washington
∙ Washington has proposed legislation for the parity of private insurance coverage and Medicaid coverage for telemedicine services.
∙ SB 5986, a bill that would create a telemedicine board, is in debate.
∙ SB 5947, a bill that would establish a telebehavioral health home for Medicaid-covered minors, is in debate.
West Virginia
∙ SB 334 and HB 2497, two bills that amend physician practice standards regarding telemedicine, are in debate.
∙ SB 330, part of the Federation of State Medical Boards Compact that would simplify the state licensure procedure, is in debate.
Wyoming
∙ HB 188, a bill that would include telehealth in occupational therapists' scope of practice, is in debate.
∙ HB 107, part of the Federation of State Medical Boards Compact that would simplify the state licensure procedure, is in debate.