Trending in Telehealth highlights state legislative and regulatory developments that impact the healthcare providers, telehealth and digital health companies, pharmacists, and technology companies that deliver and facilitate the delivery of virtual care.

Trending in the past week:

• Medical practice standards
• Maternal care
• Opioid treatment

A CLOSER LOOK

Proposed Legislation & Rulemaking:

• The Massachusetts Executive Office of Health and Human Services Division of Medical Assistance proposed a rule to establish requirements for the participation of programs of assertive community treatment (PACTs) in MassHealth. Each PACT provider may render services via telehealth, with justification for each instance of telehealth use documented and supported in the member’s record. The PACT provider also must be available to respond to member needs 24 hours per day, seven days a week, 365 days a year by phone, in person, or via telehealth whenever appropriate or safe. This includes ongoing or crisis services determined by member need.

Finalized Legislation & Rulemaking:

• North Carolina adopted an emergency rule mandating that opioid treatment program (OTP) counseling staff be available, either in person or by telehealth, a minimum of five days per week. OTPs must establish and implement policies to determine the appropriateness of telehealth services that take into consideration the patient’s choice along with the patient’s behavior and physical and cognitive abilities. The patient’s verbal or written consent must also be documented when telehealth services are provided.

Why it matters:

• States are proposing rules to ensure that healthcare providers are available around the clock to respond to patient needs through telehealth. Massachusetts’s PACT rule would require 24/7 provider availability, whether in person or via telehealth.
• States continue to implement informed consent requirements for telehealth providers. North Carolina OTP providers must obtain written consent prior to rendering telehealth services.
• As the election approaches, both legislative and regulatory activity remain slow.

Telehealth is an important development in care delivery, but the regulatory patchwork is complicated.