House File 431 - Introduced HOUSE FILE 431 BY COMMITTEE ON HUMAN RESOURCES (SUCCESSOR TO HF 88) A BILL FOR An Act relating to the provision of audio-only telehealth or 1 telemedicine by health care professionals. 2 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 3 TLSB 1762HV (2) 89 pf/rh

H.F. 431 Section 1. TELEHEALTH OR TELEMEDICINE —— 1 HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONALS —— USE OF AUDIO-ONLY 2 COMMUNICATION. Notwithstanding any provision of law to 3 the contrary, a board designated pursuant to section 147.13 4 that licenses, certifies, or otherwise authorizes or permits 5 health-related professionals to administer health care services 6 in the ordinary course of business or in the practice of 7 a profession, and which authorizes the use of telehealth 8 or telemedicine by such health-related professionals, 9 shall amend or adopt rules pursuant to chapter 17A to 10 allow a health-related professional under the purview of 11 the appropriate licensing board to utilize telehealth or 12 telemedicine to deliver health care services through the use 13 of interactive audio-only communication. The rules amended 14 or adopted by the appropriate licensure board shall ensure 15 that the provision of health care services through the use of 16 interactive audio-only communication is clinically appropriate 17 and that a patient has been provided the opportunity to 18 receive such health care services via in-person or real-time 19 interactive video, unless such an opportunity is not reasonably 20 available. 21 EXPLANATION 22 The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with 23 the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly. 24 This bill provides that, notwithstanding any provision of 25 law to the contrary, a health-related professional licensing 26 board that authorizes the use of telehealth or telemedicine 27 by health-related professionals shall amend or adopt 28 administrative rules to allow a health-related professional 29 under the purview of the appropriate licensing board to utilize 30 telehealth or telemedicine to deliver health care services 31 through the use of interactive audio-only communication. The 32 rules amended or adopted by the appropriate licensure board 33 shall ensure that the provision of health care services through 34 the use of interactive audio-only communication is clinically 35 -1- LSB 1762HV (2) 89 pf/rh 1/ 2

H.F. 431 appropriate and that the patient has been provided the 1 opportunity to receive such health care services via in-person 2 or real-time interactive video, unless such opportunity is not 3 reasonably available. 4 -2- LSB 1762HV (2) 89 pf/rh 2/ 2