North Carolina 2017-2018 Session Status: In Committee

SB 779 — Telemedicine Policy.

Last action — Passed 1st Reading

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  1. ✓
    Introduced
  2. 2
    In Committee
  3. 3
    Passed Senate
  4. 4
    Passed House
  5. 5
    To Executive
  6. 6
    Enacted

This bill died with 2017-2018 Session. It reached “In Committee” and never advanced before the session ended, so it can no longer move — a new version would have to be reintroduced in the current session.

This bill is no longer active — its legislative session has ended, so there is no live prognosis. It would have to be reintroduced in the current session to move again.

Bill Text

What changed in the latest version

157 added · 160 removed

Plain-language change summary

The latest version of Senate Bill 779 includes definitions for important terms related to telemedicine, such as "in-home monitoring," "remote patient monitoring," and "telemedicine." This clarification helps establish a clearer framework for how these technologies can be used to collect and transmit health information to providers. These changes matter because they create standards that can enhance patient care, improve health data management, and support the growth of telehealth services in North Carolina.

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FILED SENATE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA May 30, 2018 S.B.
GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA SESSION 2017 S 1 SENATE BILL 779* Short Title:
779 SESSION 2017 PRINCIPAL CLERK S D SENATE BILL DRS35322-BCz-4B* Short Title:
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT ESTABLISHING A TELEMEDICINE POLICY FOR THE STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA AND DIRECTING THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES TO STUDY AND REPORT RECOMMENDATIONS FOR VARIOUS TELEMEDICINE STANDARDS, AS RECOMMENDED BY THE JOINT LEGISLATIVE OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE ON HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES.
Rules and Operations of the Senate May 31, 2018 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT ESTABLISHING A TELEMEDICINE POLICY FOR THE STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA AND DIRECTING THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES TO STUDY AND REPORT RECOMMENDATIONS FOR VARIOUS TELEMEDICINE STANDARDS, AS RECOMMENDED BY THE JOINT LEGISLATIVE OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE ON HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES.
Chapter 90 of the General Statutes is amended by adding a new Article to read:
Chapter 90 of the General Statutes is amended byadding a new Article to read:
*DRS35322-BCz-4B* General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2017 (10) Telemedicine or telehealth.
(10) Telemedicine or telehealth.
– The use of electronic information and telecommunication technologies to support and promote long-distance clinical health care, patient and professional health-related education, public health, and health administration.
– The use of electronic information and telecommunication technologies to support and promote long-distance *S779-v-1* General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2017 clinical health care, patient and professional health-related education, public health, and health administration.
Any individual licensed as a health care provider in the State of North Carolina under Chapter 90 of the General Statutes may provide health care services, consistent with the provider's licensed scope of practice, via telemedicine to any individual located in the State of North Carolina.
Anyindividual licensed as a health careproviderin theStateof NorthCarolina underChapter 90 of the General Statutes may provide health care services, consistent with the provider's licensed scope of practice, via telemedicine to any individual located in the State of North Carolina.
(a) Before a health care provider delivers health care via telemedicine, the health care provider shall obtain written or verbal informed consent from the patient.
(a) Before a health care provider delivers health care via telemedicine, the health care providershallobtainwrittenorverbal informedconsentfromthepatient.
If the consent is written, a copy shall be placed in the patient's medical record.
Iftheconsentiswritten, a copy shall be placed in the patient's medical record.
(1) The patient has been informed of his or her rights when receiving telemedicine treatment, including the right to stop or refuse treatment.
(1) Thepatient has beeninformedofhis orherrights when receivingtelemedicine treatment, including the right to stop or refuse treatment.
Page 2 DRS35322-BCz-4B* General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2017 (a) Each health care provider engaged in the practice of telemedicine is responsible for ensuring that health care delivered to telemedicine patients adheres to the same standard of care applicable to in-person patients.
(a) Each health care provider engaged in the practice of telemedicine is responsible for ensuring that health care delivered to telemedicine patients adheres to the same standard of care applicable to in-person patients.
In addition, health care providers engaged in the practice of telemedicine shall ensure all of the following as part of the standard of care for delivering health care via telemedicine:
In addition, health care providers engaged in the practice of Page 2 Senate Bill 779*-First Edition General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2017 telemedicine shall ensure all of the following as part of the standard of care for delivering health care via telemedicine:
(4) No health care provider shall prescribe a controlled substance for the treatment of pain unless that provider has, within the last 12 months, conducted an in-person physical examination of the patient for the condition causing the pain for which the prescription is sought." SECTION 2.(a) By September 1, 2019, The Department of Health and Human Services shall study and report to the Joint Legislative Oversight Committee on Health and Human Services recommendations for telemedicine reimbursement standards for private health benefit plans.
(4) Nohealthcareprovidershallprescribeacontrolledsubstanceforthetreatment of pain unless that provider has, within the last 12 months, conducted an in-person physical examination of the patient for the condition causing the pain for which the prescription is sought." SECTION 2.(a) By September 1, 2019, The Department of Health and Human Services shall study and report to the Joint Legislative Oversight Committee on Health and Human Services recommendations for telemedicine reimbursement standards for private health benefit plans.
(1) The health benefit plan reimbursement standards of other states and the results of those standards on cost and access to care.
(1) Thehealth benefit plan reimbursementstandards ofother states andthe results of those standards on cost and access to care.
(5) How to ensure the State's telemedicine reimbursement policy remains flexible enough to evolve with innovation.
(5) How to ensure the State's telemedicine reimbursement policyremains flexible enough to evolve with innovation.
SECTION 2.(b) By September 1, 2019, the Department of Health and Human Services shall study and report to the Joint Legislative Oversight Committee on Health and Human Services recommendations for a plan to ensure that all North Carolina residents have sufficiently advanced Internet connectivity to receive health care via telemedicine.
SECTION 2.(b) By September 1, 2019, the Department of Health and Human Services shall study and report to the Joint Legislative Oversight Committee on Health and Human Services recommendations for a plan to ensure that all North Carolina residents have sufficiently advanced Internet connectivityto receive health care via telemedicine.
DRS35322-BCz-4B* Page 3 General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2017 (2) How to create community-based broadband adoption, utilization, and initiatives.
(2) How to create community-based broadband adoption, utilization, and initiatives.
(4) Any other issues the Department deems appropriate.
Senate Bill 779*-First Edition Page 3 General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2017 (4) Any other issues the Department deems appropriate.
SECTION 2.(c) By September 1, 2019, the Department of Health and Human Services, in consultation with the North Carolina Institute of Medicine and the North Carolina Medical Board, shall study and report to the Joint Legislative Oversight Committee on Health and Human Services and the Fiscal Research Division on recommended performance metrics to be used by the Department of Health and Human Services in assessing the quality of telemedicine services provided in the State.
SECTION 2.(c) By September 1, 2019, the Department of Health and Human Services, in consultation with the North Carolina Institute of Medicine and the North Carolina Medical Board, shall study and report to the Joint Legislative Oversight Committee on Health and Human Services and the Fiscal Research Division on recommended performance metrics to beused bytheDepartment ofHealthandHumanServices in assessingthequalityoftelemedicine services provided in theState.
In conducting this study, the Department is encouraged to examine all of the following:
In conductingthis study, theDepartment is encouraged to examine all of the following:
Page 4 DRS35322-BCz-4B*
Page 4 Senate Bill 779*-First Edition
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Action History

  1. Passed 1st Reading

  2. Ref To Com On Rules and Operations of the Senate

  3. Filed

Sponsors

  • Pate · Cosponsor

Sponsorship breakdown

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0 sponsors · 1 co-sponsors · 178 not signed on

Sponsors (0)

None.

Co-sponsors (1)

  • Pate

Not signed on (178)

178 members have not signed on to this bill.

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"Not signed on" means a member has not sponsored or co-sponsored this bill — it does not imply opposition. Members flagged Voted No have a recorded No vote on this bill.

Whip count is in markup. Polling the chamber and every recorded vote this session. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Calling the roll · Tallying · Engrossing

Subjects

healthcare technology
Cross-referencing the record. Reading this bill against every other bill in the corpus by meaning, not keywords. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Matching · Ranking · Engrossing

Frequently asked questions

Who sponsors SB 779?
SB 779 is sponsored by Pate.
What is the current status of SB 779?
This bill died with 2017-2018 Session. It reached “In Committee” and never advanced before the session ended, so it can no longer move — a new version would have to be reintroduced in the current session.
Where can I track SB 779?
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