Bill Text: CT HB05152 | 2018 | General Assembly | Introduced

Connecticut House Bill 5152 (Prior Session Legislation)

Introduced

Bill Title: An Act Concerning The Prescribing Of Controlled Substances Used In Medication-assisted Treatment Of Substance Use Disorders Through The Use Of Telehealth.

Spectrum: Committee Bill

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2018-03-09 - Public Hearing 03/16 [HB05152 Detail]

Download: Connecticut-2018-HB05152-Introduced.html


General Assembly		*Raised Bill No. 5152*
*February Session, 2018*		LCO No. 874
		00874_______PH_
Referred to Committee on PUBLIC HEALTH
Introduced by:
(PH)

AN ACT CONCERNING THE PRESCRIBING OF CONTROLLED SUBSTANCES USED IN MEDICATION-ASSISTED TREATMENT OF SUBSTANCE USE DISORDERS THROUGH THE USE OF TELEHEALTH.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Assembly convened:

Section 1. Subsections (a) to (c), inclusive, of section 19a-906 of the general statutes are repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2018):

(a) As used in this section:

(1) "Asynchronous" means any transmission to another site for review at a later time that uses a camera or other technology to capture images or data to be recorded.

(2) "Facility fee" has the same meaning as in section 19a-508c.

(3) "Health record" means the record of individual, health-related information that may include, but need not be limited to, continuity of care documents, discharge summaries and other information or data relating to a patient's demographics, medical history, medication, allergies, immunizations, laboratory test results, radiology or other diagnostic images, vital signs and statistics.

[(3) "Facility fee" has the same meaning as in section 19a-508c.]

(4) "Medical history" means information, including, but not limited to, a patient's past illnesses, medications, hospitalizations, family history of illness if known, the name and address of the patient's primary care provider if known and other matters relating to the health condition of the patient at the time of a telehealth interaction.

(5) "Medication-assisted treatment" means the use of medications approved by the federal Food and Drug Administration, in combination with counseling and behavioral therapies, to provide a whole-patient approach to the treatment of substance use disorders.

[(5)] (6) "Originating site" means a site at which a patient is located at the time health care services are provided to the patient by means of telehealth.

[(6)] (7) "Peripheral devices" means the instruments a telehealth provider uses to perform a patient exam, including, but not limited to, stethoscope, otoscope, ophthalmoscope, sphygmomanometer, thermometer, tongue depressor and reflex hammer.

[(7)] (8) "Remote patient monitoring" means the personal health and medical data collection from a patient in one location via electronic communication technologies that is then transmitted to a telehealth provider located at a distant site for the purpose of health care monitoring to assist the effective management of the patient's treatment, care and related support.

[(8)] (9) "Store and forward transfer" means the asynchronous transmission of a patient's medical information from an originating site to the telehealth provider at a distant site.

[(9)] (10) "Synchronous" means real-time interactive technology.

[(10)] (11) "Telehealth" means the mode of delivering health care or other health services via information and communication technologies to facilitate the diagnosis, consultation and treatment, education, care management and self-management of a patient's physical and mental health, and includes (A) interaction between the patient at the originating site and the telehealth provider at a distant site, and (B) synchronous interactions, asynchronous store and forward transfers or remote patient monitoring. Telehealth does not include the use of facsimile, audio-only telephone, texting or electronic mail.

[(11)] (12) "Telehealth provider" means any physician licensed under chapter 370, physical therapist licensed under chapter 376, chiropractor licensed under chapter 372, naturopath licensed under chapter 373, podiatrist licensed under chapter 375, occupational therapist licensed under chapter 376a, optometrist licensed under chapter 380, advanced practice registered nurse licensed under chapter 378, physician assistant licensed under chapter 370, psychologist licensed under chapter 383, marital and family therapist licensed under chapter 383a, clinical social worker or master social worker licensed under chapter 383b, alcohol and drug counselor licensed under chapter 376b, professional counselor licensed under chapter 383c, dietitian-nutritionist certified under chapter 384b, speech and language pathologist licensed under chapter 399, respiratory care practitioner licensed under chapter 381a or audiologist licensed under chapter 397a, who is providing health care or other health services through the use of telehealth within such person's scope of practice and in accordance with the standard of care applicable to the profession.

(b) (1) A telehealth provider shall only provide telehealth services to a patient when the telehealth provider: (A) Is communicating through real-time, interactive, two-way communication technology or store and forward technologies; (B) has access to, or knowledge of, the patient's medical history, as provided by the patient, and the patient's health record, including the name and address of the patient's primary care provider, if any; (C) conforms to the standard of care applicable to the telehealth provider's profession and expected for in-person care as appropriate to the patient's age and presenting condition, except when the standard of care requires the use of diagnostic testing and performance of a physical examination, such testing or examination may be carried out through the use of peripheral devices appropriate to the patient's condition; and (D) provides the patient with the telehealth's provider license number and contact information.

(2) At the time of the telehealth provider's first telehealth interaction with a patient, the telehealth provider shall inform the patient concerning the treatment methods and limitations of treatment using a telehealth platform and, after providing the patient with such information, obtain the patient's consent to provide telehealth services. The telehealth provider shall document such notice and consent in the patient's health record.

(c) Notwithstanding the provisions of this section or title 20, no telehealth provider shall prescribe any schedule I, II or III controlled [substances] substance, except a controlled substance used in medication-assisted treatment for substance use disorders, through the use of telehealth.


This act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following sections:
Section 1	July 1, 2018	19a-906(a) to (c)

Statement of Purpose:

To permit the prescribing of controlled substances used in medication-assisted treatment of substance use disorders through the use of telehealth services.

[Proposed deletions are enclosed in brackets. Proposed additions are indicated by underline, except that when the entire text of a bill or resolution or a section of a bill or resolution is new, it is not underlined.]