Signed by Governor Larry Hogan, Jr.

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to concur with senate amendments and pass a bill that authorizes certain health care practitioners to establish a practitioner-patient relationship through certain telehealth interactions under certain circumstances.

Highlights:

• Authorizes a health care practitioner to establish a practitioner-patient relationship through a telehealth interaction, if the health care practitioner (Sec. 1):

• Verifies the identity of the patient receiving health care services through telehealth; 

• Discloses the healthcare practitioner’s name, contact information, and type of health occupation license held by the health care practitioner to the patient; and

• Obtains oral or written consent from the patient or the patient’s legal guardian.

• Prohibits a health care practitioner from prescribing an opiate for pain treatment through telehealth, unless (Sec. 1):

• The individual receiving the prescription is a patient in a healthcare facility; or

• The governor has declared a state of emergency due to a catastrophic health emergency.

• Requires a health care practitioner providing telehealth services to provide or refer a patient to in-person health care services or another type of telehealth service, if clinically appropriate for the patient (Sec. 1).

Full Bill Text