Enacted state telehealth bills in the 2022 legislative session followed trends forged in the previous 2021 legislative cycle, although at a slightly lesser volume. While 2020 was largely focused on scrambling to meet the needs of the population during the COVID pandemic through temporary telehealth waivers and flexibilities, both 2021 and 2022 challenged states to decide how to translate their temporary COVID policies into permanent telehealth policies, and in many cases making adjustments to their previously passed laws concerning telehealth. There was also a proliferation of legislation that addressed cross-state licensing issues in earnest through registration processes, targeted licensing exceptions and compacts. Among 41 states and DC, 180 legislative bills tracked by CCHP passed in the 2022 legislative session. While this is down from the 201 legislative bills enacted in 47 states in 2021, it’s still significantly higher than the bills passed in 2020 (104 bills). The number of bills in each individual topic area CCHP tracks varied from previous years. For example, while bills addressing private payer reimbursement, Medicaid reimbursement and regulatory requirements were lower this cycle than 2021 levels, bills addressing cross-state licensing were significantly up, while bills addressing online prescribing, and demonstrations, studies and reports were also somewhat higher than in 2021. Note that CCHP began tracking Puerto Rico and Virgin Islands legislation in September 2022 for the first time. However, no enacted bills were found related to telehealth in either of the territories during the 2022 session.

See full article: https://mailchi.mp/cchpca/2022-in-review-state-telehealth-policy-legislative-roundup