Legislation & Regulation

1996

The Telemedicine Development Act of 1996 (SB 1665) imposed several requirements governing the delivery of health care services through telemedicine, as defined including various requirements in regard to the provision of, or payment for, telemedicine services.
 

1997

SB 922 amended the Telemedicine Development Act of 1996 to exclude from the definition of telemedicine, telephone conversations and electronic mail messages between a health care practitioner and a patient.  Extended the rights granted to a patient of telemedicine to the patient’s legal representative.  Revised protections granted to patients of telemedicine to require application of existing laws regarding patient access to medical information and copies of medical records and surrogate decisionmaking.

1998

AB 2780 established minimum standards for audio and visual telemedicine systems and would require the Department of Health Services to report to the appropriate committees of the Legislature by January 1, 2000, on the application of telemedicine to provide various types of care. Also defined ‘‘interactive’’ to mean an audio, video, or data communication involving a real time (synchronous) or near real time (asynchronous) two-way transfer of medical data and information.

2000

AB 2877 indefinetly extended the Telemedicine Act of 1996 provisions for telemedicine coverage by Medi-Cal.

2002

AB 442 required the State Department of Health Services to allow psychiatrists to receive fee-for-service Medi-Cal reimbursement for services provided through telemedicine until June 30, 2004, or until a method for reimbursement is developed, as provided.

2003

AB 116 included that the provisions of law regulating telemedicine apply to the practice of a dentist, a podiatrist, a psychologist, a marriage and family therapist, and a clinical social worker.

2005

AB 354 until January 1, 2009, authorizes under the Medi-Cal program, to the extent that federal financial participation is available, “teleophthalmology and teledermatology by store and forward,” as defined.

2006

Executive Order S-12-06 allocated $240 million to achieve full information exchange between health care providers and stakeholders within ten years.

Executive Order S-23-06 established a broadband task force to promote broadband access and usage.

2007

AB 329 authorizes the Medical Board of California to establish a pilot program to expand the practice of telemedicine, and would authorize the board to implement the program by convening a working group. The bill would specify that the purpose of the pilot program would be to develop methods, using a telemedicine model, of delivering health care to those with chronic diseases and delivering other health information. Requires the Medical Board of California to make recommendations to the Legislature within one year of the commencement date of the program.

AB 1224 defines the practice of optometry as including the treatment of primary open-angle glaucoma with the participation, as specified, of a collaborating ophthalmologist. Makes a licensed optometrist subject to “interactive” telemedicine provisions and would define collaborating ophthalmologist for purposes of his or her participation in treating primary open angle glaucoma.

AB 234 imposes a 125-hour limitation on experience for the marriage and family therapist licensure examination earned providing personal psychotherapy services via telemedicine and would modify the definition of professional enrichment activities for these purposes.

Executive Order S-06-07 advances the adoption of health information technology, increases transparency of quality and pricing information, and promotes quality and efficiency of health care services.

2008

AB 2120 extends authorization of the Medi-Cal program, to the extent that federal financial participation is available, “teleophthalmology and teledermatology by store and forward,” as defined until January 1, 2013.

2009

AB 175 includes within the definition of teleopthamology and teledermatology store and forward services for Medi-Cal coverage consults by optometrists who are trained to diagnose and treat eye disease.

SB 33 amend Sections 1277 and 123115 of the Health and Safety Code, relating to marriage and family therapy licensure. Increased the number of hours to no more than 375 hours of experience providing personal psychotherapy, crisis counseling, or other counseling services via telemedicine.

2011

AB 415 was an update to the Telemedicine Act of 1996. It allows for the provision of a broader range of telehealth services, expansion of teleheatlh providers to include all licensed healthcare professionals, expansion of telehealth care settings and the ability for California hospitals to establish medical credentials for telehealth providers more easily.