Amends TCA Title 56 and Title 63.

Present law defines provider-based telemedicine, for purposes of reimbursement requirements, as the use of HIPAA-compliant real-time, interactive audio, video telecommunications, or electronic technology, or store-and-forward telemedicine services, used over the course of an interactive visit by a healthcare services provider to deliver healthcare services to a patient within the scope of practice of the provider when, amongst other requirements, the provider, the provider's practice group, or the healthcare system has established a provider-patient relationship by submitting to a health insurance entity evidence of an in-person encounter between the provider, the provider's practice group, or the healthcare system and the patient within 16 months prior to the interactive visit.<br /> <br /> This bill provides that the requirement of an in-person encounter between the provider, the provider's practice group, or the healthcare system and the patient within 16 months prior to the interactive visit does not apply to a patient who is receiving an initial behavioral health evaluation or assessment.<br /> <br /> PHYSICIAN ASSISTANTS<br /> <br /> In accordance with rules adopted by the board of medical examiners and the board of physician assistants, present law generally authorizes a collaborating physician to delegate to a physician assistant working in collaboration with the physician the authority to prescribe or issue legend drugs and controlled substances listed in Schedules II, III, IV, and V of the state's criminal law.<br /> <br /> Present law authorizes a physician assistant, who is so authorized and provides services in a community mental health center or federally qualified health center, to arrange for the required personal review of the physician assistant's charts by a collaborating physician in the office or practice site of the physician, or the required visit by a collaborating physician to any remote site, or both, via HIPAA-compliant electronic means rather than at the site of the clinic.<br /> <br /> This bill authorizes a physician assistant, who is so authorized and provides services via telehealth, to arrange for such chart review or required visit by a collaborating physician via HIPAA-complaint electronic means rather than at the site of the clinic.<br /> <br /> ON FEBRUARY 23, 2023, THE SENATE ADOPTED AMENDMENT #1 AND PASSED SENATE BILL 721, AS AMENDED.<br /> <br /> AMENDMENT #1 revises this bill, such that the authorization to arrange a chart view or required visit by a collaborating physician via HIPAA-compliant electronic means rather than at the site of the clinic, applies to a physician assistant that is so authorized and provides services “solely via telehealth,” not “via telehealth”.<br />