Bill Text: IL HB3343 | 2025-2026 | 104th General Assembly | Introduced

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Bill Title: Amends the Telehealth Act. Adds acupuncturist to providers included in the meaning of "health care professional". Amends the Acupuncture Practice Act. Provides that the standard of care for a patient under the Act shall be the same whether a patient is seen in person, through telemedicine, or through another method of electronically-enabled health care. Requires the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation, by rule, to determine the appropriate acupuncture services allowed via telemedicine in consultation with the Board of Acupuncture. Provides that a person who engages in the practice of telemedicine without a license issued under the Act shall be subject to the penalties provided in the Act. Provides that, if the Department has reason to believe that a person has violated the provisions regarding telemedicine, the Department may issue a rule to show cause stating the reasons why an order to cease and desist should not be entered against the person. Provides that the rule shall clearly set forth the grounds relied upon by the Department and shall provide the person with a period of 7 days after the date of the rule to file an answer to the satisfaction of the Department. Provides that failure to answer to the satisfaction of the Department shall cause an order to cease and desist to be issued immediately. Provides that a person residing out-of-state that provides services through telemedicine to a patient residing in the State submits himself or herself to the jurisdiction of the Department and the courts of the State.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Introduced) 2025-02-18 - Referred to Rules Committee [HB3343 Detail]

Download: Illinois-2025-HB3343-Introduced.html

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104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY State of Illinois 2025 and 2026 HB3343 Introduced , by Rep. Theresa Mah SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
225 ILCS 150/5
225 ILCS 2/14 new
Amends the Telehealth Act. Adds acupuncturist to providers included in the meaning of "health care professional". Amends the Acupuncture Practice Act. Provides that the standard of care for a patient under the Act shall be the same whether a patient is seen in person, through telemedicine, or through another method of electronically-enabled health care. Requires the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation, by rule, to determine the appropriate acupuncture services allowed via telemedicine in consultation with the Board of Acupuncture. Provides that a person who engages in the practice of telemedicine without a license issued under the Act shall be subject to the penalties provided in the Act. Provides that, if the Department has reason to believe that a person has violated the provisions regarding telemedicine, the Department may issue a rule to show cause stating the reasons why an order to cease and desist should not be entered against the person. Provides that the rule shall clearly set forth the grounds relied upon by the Department and shall provide the person with a period of 7 days after the date of the rule to file an answer to the satisfaction of the Department. Provides that failure to answer to the satisfaction of the Department shall cause an order to cease and desist to be issued immediately. Provides that a person residing out-of-state that provides services through telemedicine to a patient residing in the State submits himself or herself to the jurisdiction of the Department and the courts of the State.
LRB104 09578 AAS 19641 b
A BILL FOR
HB3343 LRB104 09578 AAS 19641 b
AN ACT concerning regulation.
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
represented in the General Assembly:
Section 5. The Telehealth Act is amended by changing
Section 5 as follows:
(225 ILCS 150/5)
Sec. 5. Definitions. As used in this Act:
"Asynchronous store and forward system" means the
transmission of a patient's medical information through an
electronic communications system at an originating site to a
health care professional or facility at a distant site that
does not require real-time or synchronous interaction between
the health care professional and the patient.
"Distant site" means the location at which the health care
professional rendering the telehealth service is located.
"Established patient" means a patient with a relationship
with a health care professional in which there has been an
exchange of an individual's protected health information for
the purpose of providing patient care, treatment, or services.
"E-visit" means a patient-initiated non-face-to-face
communication through an online patient portal between an
established patient and a health care professional.
"Facility" includes a facility that is owned or operated

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by a hospital under the Hospital Licensing Act or University
of Illinois Hospital Act, a facility under the Nursing Home
Care Act, a rural health clinic, a federally qualified health
center, a local health department, a community mental health
center, a behavioral health clinic as defined in 89 Ill. Adm.
Code 140.453, an encounter rate clinic, a skilled nursing
facility, a substance use treatment program licensed by the
Division of Substance Use Prevention and Recovery of the
Department of Human Services, a school-based health center as
defined in 77 Ill. Adm. Code 641.10, a physician's office, a
podiatrist's office, a supportive living program provider, a
hospice provider, home health agency, or home nursing agency
under the Home Health, Home Services, and Home Nursing Agency
Licensing Act, a facility under the ID/DD Community Care Act,
community-integrated living arrangements as defined in the
Community-Integrated Living Arrangements Licensure and
Certification Act, and a provider who receives reimbursement
for a patient's room and board.
"Health care professional" includes, but is not limited
to, physicians, physician assistants, optometrists, advanced
practice registered nurses, clinical psychologists licensed in
Illinois, prescribing psychologists licensed in Illinois,
dentists, occupational therapists, pharmacists, physical
therapists, acupuncturists, clinical social workers,
speech-language pathologists, audiologists, hearing
instrument dispensers, licensed certified substance use

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disorder treatment providers and clinicians, and mental health
professionals and clinicians authorized by Illinois law to
provide mental health services, and qualified providers listed
under paragraph (8) of subsection (e) of Section 3 of the Early
Intervention Services System Act, dietitian nutritionists
licensed in Illinois, and health care professionals associated
with a facility.
"Interactive telecommunications system" means an audio and
video system, an audio-only telephone system (landline or
cellular), or any other telecommunications system permitting
2-way, synchronous interactive communication between a patient
at an originating site and a health care professional or
facility at a distant site. "Interactive telecommunications
system" does not include a facsimile machine, electronic mail
messaging, or text messaging.
"Originating site" means the location at which the patient
is located at the time telehealth services are provided to the
patient via telehealth.
"Remote patient monitoring" means the use of connected
digital technologies or mobile medical devices to collect
medical and other health data from a patient at one location
and electronically transmit that data to a health care
professional or facility at a different location for
collection and interpretation.
"Telehealth services" means the evaluation, diagnosis, or
interpretation of electronically transmitted patient-specific

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data between a remote location and a licensed health care
professional that generates interaction or treatment
recommendations. "Telehealth services" includes telemedicine
and the delivery of health care services, including mental
health treatment and substance use disorder treatment and
services to a patient, regardless of patient location,
provided by way of an interactive telecommunications system,
asynchronous store and forward system, remote patient
monitoring technologies, e-visits, or virtual check-ins.
"Virtual check-in" means a brief patient-initiated
communication using a technology-based service, excluding
facsimile, between an established patient and a health care
professional. "Virtual check-in" does not include
communications from a related office visit provided within the
previous 7 days, nor communications that lead to an office
visit or procedure within the next 24 hours or soonest
available appointment.
(Source: P.A. 101-81, eff. 7-12-19; 101-84, eff. 7-19-19;
102-104, eff. 7-22-21.)
Section 10. The Acupuncture Practice Act is amended by
adding Section 14 as follows:
(225 ILCS 2/14 new)
Sec. 14. Telemedicine.
(a) The General Assembly finds that, because technological

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advances and changing practice patterns regarding the use of
health care services are occurring with increasing frequency
across state lines and across increasing geographical
distances within this State, certain technological advances in
the health care industry are in the public interest. Providing
professional health care services is a privilege and is
necessary for the protection of the public health, welfare,
and safety, especially when a pandemic can limit access to
traditional means of accessing healthcare services.
(b) For purposes of this Act, "telemedicine" means the
performance of acupuncture limited to modalities and
consultations that do not involve the insertion of needles and
that are provided via technology or telecommunication methods.
(c) The standard of care for a patient under this Act shall
be the same whether a patient is seen in person, through
telemedicine, or through another method of
electronically-enabled health care. The Department shall, by
rule, determine the appropriate acupuncture services allowed
via telemedicine in consultation with the Board.
(d) A person who engages in the practice of telemedicine
without a license issued under this Act shall be subject to the
penalties provided in Section 105.
(e) If the Department has reason to believe that a person
has violated this Section, the Department may issue a rule to
show cause stating the reasons why an order to cease and desist
should not be entered against the person. The rule shall

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clearly set forth the grounds relied upon by the Department
and shall provide the person with a period of 7 days after the
date of the rule to file an answer to the satisfaction of the
Department. Failure to answer to the satisfaction of the
Department shall cause an order to cease and desist to be
issued immediately.
(f) A person residing out of state that provides services
through telemedicine to a patient residing in this State
submits himself or herself to the jurisdiction of the
Department and the courts of this State.