A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT to require THE dEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES TO STUDY AND RECOMMEND A TELEMEDICINE POLICY.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
SECTION 1.  The Department of Health and Human Services shall study and recommend a telemedicine policy for consideration by the General Assembly. At a minimum, the Department shall examine telemedicine/telehealth laws in other states as they pertain to the elements outlined below and recommend standards for the State:
(1)	A definition of the term telemedicine.
(2)	The scope of services that can be covered by telemedicine.
(3)	Acceptable communication and data transfer standards necessary to ensure the privacy of health information and appropriate for insurance reimbursement.
(4)	Informed consent standards.
(5)	Online prescribing standards.
(6)	Telemedicine provider licensing standards.
(7)	Private payer telemedicine reimbursement standards.
The Department shall solicit input from relevant stakeholders and from the Department of Insurance on the potential insurance impact of particular telemedicine policy elements. While conducting this study, the Department may examine services reimbursed under the Medicaid policy, but the recommendations shall not include changes to the State's Medicaid policy. 
SECTION 2.  On or before October 1, 2017, the Department of Health and Human Services shall submit a report containing findings and recommendations and a proposed telemedicine policy to the Joint Legislative Oversight Committee on Health and Human Services. Based on the Department's report, the Committee shall consider making a recommendation to the 2017 General Assembly during the 2018 Regular Session.
SECTION 3.  This act is effective when it becomes law.