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Sen. Patty Lewis presents bill to protect telehealth platforms; broad health sector support
Summary
Senator Patty Lewis told the House health committee Senate Bill 94 would enshrine pandemic-era telehealth options, let providers choose HIPAA-compliant platforms and prevent insurers from mandating platforms; numerous professional medical organizations testified in support.
Senator Patty Lewis, sponsor, told the House Committee on Health and Mental Health that Senate Bill 94 would “protect access to telehealth services for Missourians” and is “clean up language around telehealth” to preserve audio-visual and audio-only care options.
The bill would permit a health care provider to select the telehealth platform so long as the platform is HIPAA-compliant, preventing insurers from mandating particular vendor platforms, Lewis said. “This bill has a 0 fiscal impact,” she added, and she told the committee she planned to work with the chair on adding “some noncontroversial, additional provisions.”
Witnesses from clinical and provider organizations uniformly supported the measure in public hearing testimony. Garrett Webb, a registered lobbyist for the Missouri Psychological Association and the Missouri Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics, said those organizations “very strongly” support the bill; Kaina Eiman testified on behalf of the Missouri Nurses Association and Missouri Occupational Therapists Association; Jacob Scott spoke for the Missouri State Medical Association and the Missouri Association of Osteopathic Physicians and Surgeons; and representatives from Mercy Health, SSM Health, the Missouri Hospital Association, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and other hospital and provider groups also went on record in support.
Committee members asked no substantive follow-up questions during the hearing and the committee concluded the SB 94 public hearing after supporters finished their testimony.
Why it matters: The bill would lock in telehealth practices expanded during the COVID-19 pandemic and preserve the ability of clinicians to use different modalities (video or audio-only) and platforms they deem appropriate, subject to HIPAA compliance. Supporters said that approach preserves clinician judgment and continuity of patient access across rural and urban areas.
What’s next: The committee concluded the public hearing and moved on to other agenda items; no committee vote on SB 94 is recorded in the transcript.
