Telemedicine a Major Health Issue in 2016 Session

16358656House Bill 1263 (Telemedicine), authored by Rep. Cindy Kirchhofer (R-Indianapolis), was enthusiastically supported by the Indiana Chamber during the 2016 Indiana legislative session. Numerous organizations supported the concept and not one opposed; the Indiana State Medical Association remained neutral. The bill allows physicians, physician assistants, advanced practice nurses that have authority to prescribe drugs and optometrists to prescribe medicine to a patient via telemedicine services.

While everyone supported the concept, getting everyone to agree on the final version was a rocky process. Concerns ranged from existing patient/provider relationships, out of state providers, hospital relationships to standards of care and jurisdiction for medical malpractice. But by the end, the conference committee report had only one vote against in both houses.

Senate Bill 165 (Healthy Indiana Plan or HIP), authored by Sen. Patricia Miller (R-Indianapolis), is the Governor’s measure to repeal the former HIP plan and codify into statute the current HIP 2.0. The Pence administration believes that codifying the current plan strengthens its position with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services for when the new 1115 Medicaid waiver is negotiated.

Opponents believe that codifying the existing plan leaves no room for flexibility. Chiropractic services under the HIP 2.0 plan were added in the House on second reading but removed in conference committee. The bill passed both houses, mostly along party lines with a few exceptions. The Chamber has been supportive of the core principles of HIP and HIP 2.0, offering an alternative to the Medicaid system by providing a power account (similar to an HSA) which encourages individual responsibility in a participant’s medical decisions.

 

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