Texas is an example of the tremendous potential telemedicine has to treat many more patients for far less cost. Telemedicine laws in Texas have expanded rapidly due to the growing shortage of healthcare providers. The state of Texas also has a telehealth parity law, requiring coverage of these services by private insurance companies, state employee health plans, and Medicaid. Read on to find out more about telehealth services in Texas!
In Texas, telemedicine involves a health care provider’s medical care delivered to patients physically located at sites other than where the provider is located. The primary requirements are:
The same standard of care that applies to an in-person setting applies to health care services or procedures provided by telemedicine.
Telemedicine services can be provided by:
(A) synchronous audiovisual interaction between the practitioner and the patient in another location;
(B) asynchronous store and forward technology, including asynchronous store and forward technology in conjunction with synchronous audio interaction between the practitioner and the patient in another location, as long as the practitioner uses clinical information from:
(i) clinically relevant photographic or video images, including diagnostic images; or
(ii) the patient’s relevant medical records, such as the relevant medical history, laboratory and pathology results, and prescriptive histories; or
(C) another form of audiovisual telecommunication technology that allows the practitioner to comply with the standard of care described in Section 111.007, Texas Occupations Code.
See statute and rules below:
TMB Rule, Chapter 174 – Telemedicine
Texas Occupations Code, Chapter 111 – Telemedicine and Telehealth