Out-of-State Telehealth Providers

The bill allows a health-care provider (applicant) who possesses a license, certificate, registration, or other approval as a health-care provider in another state (out-of-state credential) to provide health-care services through telehealth to patients located in Colorado if the applicant registers with the regulator that regulates the health-care services the applicant will provide (regulator). An applicant is eligible for registration if:

• The applicant submits an application in a manner prescribed by the division of professions and occupations in the department of regulatory agencies (division) and pays the applicable fee;
• The applicant possesses an out-of-state credential issued by a governmental authority in another state, the District of Columbia, or a possession or territory of the United States that is active and unencumbered and that entitles the applicant to perform health-care services that are substantially similar to health-care services that may be performed by a licensee, certificate holder, or registrant in this state;
• The applicant designates an agent upon whom service of process may be made in Colorado; and
• The applicant has not been subject to any disciplinary action relating to the applicant's out-of-state credential during the 5-year period immediately preceding the submission of the applicant's application that has resulted in the applicant's out-of-state credential being limited, suspended, or revoked.

An applicant who has been registered to provide health-care services through telehealth to patients located in Colorado (registered provider) shall:

• Notify the applicable regulator of restrictions placed on the registered provider's out-of-state credential in any state or jurisdiction or of any disciplinary action taken or pending against the registered provider in any state or jurisdiction;
• Maintain and have in effect a form of financial responsibility that covers services provided to patients in this state as required by the applicable regulator; and
• Not open an office in this state and shall not provide in-person health-care services to patients located in this state unless the health-care provider obtains the license, certification, or registration that the applicable regulator requires for the performance of the relevant health-care services in this state.

The bill also allows the division or the regulator to take disciplinary action against a registered provider under specified conditions.

(Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)