Bill Text: HI SB285 | 2011 | Regular Session | Amended

Hawaii Senate Bill 285 (Prior Session Legislation)

Bill Title: QUEST and Medicaid Telehealth Services; Mobile Medical Van

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 13-0)

Status: (Passed) 2011-07-05 - (H) Act 182, on 7/5/2011 (Gov. Msg. No. 1286). [SB285 Detail]

Download: Hawaii-2011-SB285-Amended.html

THE SENATE	S.B. NO.	285
TWENTY-SIXTH LEGISLATURE, 2011		S.D. 2
STATE OF HAWAII		H.D. 2
		C.D. 1

A BILL FOR AN ACT

RELATING TO HEALTH.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

SECTION 1. The purpose of this Act is to improve access to the full range of health care services to medicaid and QUEST members accessing services through a mobile medical van by ensuring that medicaid and QUEST health plans have the flexibility to provide appropriate health services via technological means such as telehealth. This flexibility is especially important because a new mobile medical van will begin providing services to the more remote areas of Hawaii. Allowing QUEST and medicaid members to access services through the mobile medical van will assist in improving the health of those with chronic conditions as well as improving the overall health of area residents.

SECTION 2. Chapter 346, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by adding a new section to be appropriately designated and to read as follows:

"§346- Telehealth services; medicaid and QUEST. (a) The department shall implement a mobile medical van telehealth pilot program. The mobile medical van shall be staffed by a primary care provider, including but not limited to an advanced practice registered nurse, and shall be equipped with telehealth capabilities to consult with other health care providers, as determined to be medically necessary.

(b) This section shall not require the department to cover patient self-referrals to providers outside of the mobile medical van program.

(d) This section shall apply only to a mobile medical van program operating in a county with a population of less than two hundred fifty thousand and shall include a program operated by Kona community hospital through a partnership with a non-profit mutual benefit society operating in the State that provides health care coverage to at least six hundred thousand members.

(e) For the purposes of this section, "telehealth" means the use of a telecommunications service, as defined in section 269-1, including 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. A standard telephone contact, facsimile transmission, or an electronic message, in combination or by itself, does not constitute a telehealth service for the purposes of this section."

SECTION 3. (a) At least six months but no later than twelve months after the mobile medical van telehealth pilot program begins operations, the department of human services shall assess the implementation of the pilot program pursuant to section 2 of this Act.

(b) The assessment shall consider the following information regarding telehealth utilization and outcomes:

(1) Day and time of day of utilization;

(2) Provider types consulted;

(3) Whether a patient had an established relationship with a provider, including whether the provider was the patient's primary care provider;

(4) Summary of provider diagnoses;

(5) All services ordered by the provider in response to the encounter (e.g., number of prescriptions and specific medications prescribed);

(6) Mode of online care conversation (e.g. Internet, including video conferencing and web chat, or IVR phone);

(7) Demographic of the patient who used the online care; and

(8) Patient and provider satisfaction of the online care system and patient satisfaction rating of the provider.

(c) The department shall determine whether to continue, expand, or end the mobile medical van telehealth pilot program based on the results of the department's assessment.

SECTION 4. New statutory material is underscored.

SECTION 5. This Act shall take effect upon its approval; provided that this Act shall be repealed on June 30, 2013.

Report Title:

QUEST and Medicaid Telehealth Services; Mobile Medical Van

Description:

Requires the department of human services to implement a mobile medical van telehealth pilot program operated by a qualified provider. Requires the department of human services to assess the implementation of the program at least six months but no later than twelve months after it begins operations. Repeals June 30, 2013. (CD1)

The summary description of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.