2021 Legislative Update-Week 3

22 Jan 2021 Legislative Update-Week 3

Session was cancelled this week due to security concerns, but your IDA Government Affairs team was still hard at work. On Wednesday night, members of the Government Affairs Committee and Access to Care Subcommittee met to discuss updates to the IDA’s own HB 1079, as well as its positions on several other healthcare bills.

HB 1079 amends the definition of dentistry, allows a dentist to administer immunizations under certain circumstances, and provides that a health insurance plan may not require a dental provider to accept payment under the health insurance plan by virtual claim payment.

In Favor

SB 1/ HB 1002 Civil Immunity

Both bills provide civil immunity for damages resulting from exposure of an individual to COVID-19 on the premises owned or operated by a person, on any premises on which the person or an employee or agent of the person provided property or services to the individual, or during an activity managed, organized, or sponsored by the person.

SB 3 Telehealth Matters

This bill, authored by Senator Ed Charbonneau, changes the use of the term “telemedicine” to “telehealth.” It specifies certain activities that are considered to be health care services for purposes of the telehealth laws and expands the application of the telehealth statute to additional licensed practitioners instead of applying only to prescribers. The bill also amends the definition of “telehealth” and requires that the telehealth medical records be created and maintained under the same standards of appropriate practice for medical records for patients in an in-person setting.

Against

SB 330 Dental Therapists

This bill adds dental therapists and advanced dental therapists to the dental practitioners who are eligible for grants under the proposed Indiana dental recruitment fund. It provides for the licensure of dental therapists and the certification of licensed dental therapists as advanced dental therapists. The bill also requires a dental therapist and an advanced dental therapist to practice in an underserved area or a setting that serves low-income, uninsured, and underserved patients, and it specifies the services and procedures that may be performed by a dental therapist and an advanced dental therapist.