Modifies provisions relating to telehealth services
Summary
HB 825 repeals and replaces Missouri’s telehealth statute, section 191.1145, to update and clarify how telehealth and telemedicine may be delivered in the state. The bill defines key terms such as asynchronous store-and-forward transfer, originating site, distant site, clinical staff, and telehealth/telemedicine, and expressly includes audiovisual and audio-only services as well as store-and-forward technology. It also states that providers may use electronic platforms of their choice so long as services comply with HIPAA.
The bill authorizes any licensed healthcare provider to furnish telehealth services when the service is within the provider’s scope of practice and meets the same standard of care as in-person treatment. It requires providers treating Missouri patients through telehealth to be fully licensed in Missouri and subject to their professional boards, while carving out exceptions for informal consultations, emergency or disaster assistance, and episodic consultations requested by a Missouri physician. The bill further provides that an originating site generally does not need on-site clinical staff during telehealth services, except where needed to meet the standard of care in certain circumstances, and it preserves existing collaborative practice requirements under chapters 334 and 335.
Impact
HB 825 would revise Missouri law governing telehealth by replacing the existing statutory framework with updated definitions and operating rules for telemedicine services. It would affect licensed healthcare providers, health carriers, originating sites, and professional licensing boards by clarifying when telehealth may be used, what standards apply, and when out-of-state providers may or may not treat Missouri patients. The bill also reinforces privacy and compliance expectations through HIPAA references and preserves existing scope-of-practice and collaborative-practice limits.
Sentiment
The available voting history suggests strong support for the bill: it advanced on third reading in the House by a unanimous 150-0 vote. No committee transcript is available, but the lack of recorded opposition and the broad vote margin indicate the measure was generally viewed favorably as a modernization of telehealth rules rather than a controversial policy change.
Contention
The main policy issues reflected in the text are the licensing requirement for providers treating Missouri patients via telehealth, the limits on out-of-state consultations, and the extent to which telehealth can be delivered without on-site clinical staff. Potential points of concern could include provider access across state lines, the practical effect of requiring Missouri licensure, and whether the bill’s standards sufficiently preserve patient safety while expanding remote care. The bill explicitly avoids changing scope of practice or collaborative-practice rules, which suggests those areas were sensitive enough to warrant preservation rather than revision.