HB2862eng 103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HB2862 Engrossed LRB103 03414 AMQ 48420 b

AN ACT concerning regulation.

Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, represented in the General Assembly:

Section 5. 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 and declares that because technological advances and changing practice patterns regarding the utilization of health care services are occurring with increasing frequency across state lines and across increasing geographical distances within the State, certain technological advances in the health care industry are in the public interest. The General Assembly further finds and declares that providing professional health care services is a privilege and is necessary for the protection of the public health, welfare, and safety, especially in times of a pandemic that can limit access to traditional means of accessing health care services.

(b) A person who engages in the practice of telemedicine without a license issued under this Act shall be subject to penalties provided in Section 105.

(c) For purposes of this Act, "telemedicine" means the performance of acupuncture, as defined in Section 10, provided via technology or telecommunication methods, also known as telehealth. The standard of care shall be the same whether a patient is seen in person, through telehealth, or another method of electronically enabled health care. Further, the Department shall, by rule, determine the appropriate acupuncture services allowed via telemedicine in consultation with the Board.

(d) Whenever the Department has reason to believe that a person has violated this Section, the Department may issue a rule to show cause why an order to cease and desist should not be entered against that person. The rule shall clearly set forth the grounds relied upon by the Department. Failure to answer to the satisfaction of the Department shall cause an order to cease and desist to be issued immediately.

(e) An out-of-state person providing a service allowed under this Section to a patient residing in the State through the practice of telemedicine submits himself or herself to the jurisdiction of the Department and the courts of this State.

(f) A person licensed under this Act shall only be allowed to provide services through telemedicine during a public health emergency declared by the Governor.

Section 10. 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 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 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 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 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon becoming law.