House File 784 - Introduced HOUSE FILE 784 BY COMMITTEE ON HUMAN RESOURCES (SUCCESSOR TO HF 706) A BILL FOR An Act relating to reimbursement rates for health care services 1 provided to covered persons by telehealth, and including 2 applicability provisions. 3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 4 TLSB 1141HV (1) 89 ko/rn

H.F. 784 Section 1. Section 514C.34, subsection 1, Code 2021, is 1 amended by adding the following new paragraphs: 2 NEW PARAGRAPH . 0a. “Covered person” means the same as 3 defined in section 514J.102. 4 NEW PARAGRAPH . 00a. “Facility” means the same as defined in 5 section 514J.102. 6 NEW PARAGRAPH . 0c. “Health carrier” means the same as 7 defined in section 514J.102. 8 Sec. 2. Section 514C.34, subsection 1, paragraph c, Code 9 2021, is amended to read as follows: 10 c. “Telehealth” means the delivery of health care services 11 through the use of real-time interactive audio and video , or 12 other real-time interactive electronic media, regardless of 13 where the health care professional and the covered person are 14 each located . “Telehealth” does not include the delivery of 15 health care services delivered solely through an audio-only 16 telephone, electronic mail message, or facsimile transmission. 17 Sec. 3. Section 514C.34, Code 2021, is amended by adding the 18 following new subsection: 19 NEW SUBSECTION . 3A. a. A health carrier shall reimburse 20 a health care professional and a facility for health care 21 services provided by telehealth to a covered person located 22 at a facility on the same basis and at the same rate as the 23 health carrier would apply to the same health care services 24 provided to a covered person by the health care professional 25 and a facility in person. 26 b. As a condition of reimbursement pursuant to paragraph 27 “a” , a health carrier shall not require that an additional 28 health care professional be located in the same room as a 29 covered person while health care services for a mental health 30 condition, illness, injury, or disease are delivered via 31 telehealth by another health care professional to the covered 32 person. 33 Sec. 4. APPLICABILITY. This Act applies to health care 34 services provided by a health care professional or a facility 35 -1- LSB 1141HV (1) 89 ko/rn 1/ 2

H.F. 784 to a covered person by telehealth on or after January 1, 2022. 1 EXPLANATION 2 The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with 3 the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly. 4 This bill requires a health carrier (carrier) to reimburse 5 a health care professional (professional) or facility for 6 health care services (services) provided to a covered person 7 by telehealth on the same basis and at the same rate as the 8 carrier would apply to the same services provided to the 9 covered person by the professional or facility in person. As 10 a condition of reimbursement, the carrier is prohibited from 11 requiring that an additional professional be located in the 12 same room as the covered person while services for a mental 13 health condition, illness, injury, or disease are delivered via 14 telehealth by another professional to the covered person. 15 The bill defines “telehealth” as the delivery of services 16 through the use of real-time interactive audio and video, or 17 other real-time interactive electronic media, regardless of 18 where the professional and covered person are each located, not 19 including the delivery of services delivered solely through an 20 audio-only telephone, electronic mail message, or facsimile 21 transmission. Current law defines “telehealth” as the delivery 22 of services through the use of interactive audio and video, 23 not including the delivery of services through an audio-only 24 telephone, electronic mail message, or facsimile transmission. 25 The bill applies to services provided by a professional or a 26 facility to a covered person by telehealth on or after January 27 1, 2022. 28 -2- LSB 1141HV (1) 89 ko/rn 2/ 2