12 Feb 2021 Legislative Update-Week 6
It may be cold outside, but things are still heating up at the statehouse. The IDA’s own bill, HB 1079: Practice of Dentistry, passed out of the House on Monday and was referred to the Senate for further review. The bill has been assigned to the Health and Provider Services committee but has yet to be scheduled for a hearing.
As a reminder, HB 1079 updates the definition of dentistry, allows a dentist to administer vaccines, and reigns in the growing use of virtual credits as a method of reimbursement.
SB 1: Civil Immunity Related to COVID-19
SB 1—one of the Governor’s priority bills—was returned to the Senate with various House amendments on Thursday. The bill provides civil tort immunity for damages arising from 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 provides property or services to the individual, or during an activity managed, organized, or sponsored by the person, except for an act or omission that constitutes gross negligence or willful or wanton misconduct.
SB 3: Telehealth Matters
SB 3, related to various telehealth matters, has stagnated since passing out of the Senate last week. It has yet to be assigned to a House committee. SB 3 would permanently codify many of the expansions in telehealth implemented during the COVID-19 pandemic to ensure all Hoosiers have access to the health care they need regardless of where they live.
This legislation would put legal safeguards in place for Hoosiers receiving virtual care and require telehealth medical records to be created and maintained under the same standards of practice for patients in an in-person setting
The bill would also expand the application of the telehealth statute currently in place to include more licensed practitioners and specify the various activities that would qualify as health care services under telehealth law.
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