Out-of-state physicians and surgeons: telehealth: license exemption.

Plain English Breakdown

Checked against official source text during the last sync.

Telehealth for Out-of-State Doctors

This law allows out-of-state doctors and surgeons to use telehealth to treat certain patients in California without needing a special license.

What This Bill Does

• Allows out-of-state physicians and surgeons to provide medical care through telehealth to eligible patients in California.
• Expands the definition of 'eligible patient' to include people whose life-threatening disease is in remission and who are continuing treatment with an out-of-state doctor they already know.
• Removes the requirement for these patients to participate in nearby clinical trials if their condition is stable or improving.

Who It Names or Affects

• Patients with serious illnesses who need ongoing care from doctors outside California.
• Doctors and surgeons practicing medicine across state lines through telehealth.

Terms To Know

Telehealth

Using technology like video calls or messaging to provide medical care remotely.

Clinical trial

A research study where new treatments are tested on patients.

Limits and Unknowns

• The bill does not specify how long the exemption for out-of-state doctors will last.
• It is unclear if this law will affect other types of medical professionals besides physicians and surgeons.

Official Summary Text

SB 1002, as introduced, Niello.
Out-of-state physicians and surgeons: telehealth: license exemption.
Existing law, the Medical Practice Act, establishes the Medical Board of California within the Department of Consumer Affairs and sets forth its powers and duties relating to the licensure and regulation of the practice of medicine by physicians and surgeons. Existing law generally prohibits the practice of medicine without a physician’s and surgeon’s certificate issued by the board.
Existing law authorizes a health care provider to deliver health care via telehealth to a patient pursuant to specified protocols and conditions. Existing law defines “telehealth” as the delivery of health care services and public health via information and communication technologies to facilitate the diagnosis, consultation, treatment, education, care management, and self-management of a patient’s health care, and that telehealth includes synchronous interactions and
asynchronous store and forward transfers.
Existing law authorizes an eligible out-of-state physician and surgeon, as defined, to deliver health care via telehealth to an eligible patient. Existing law defines “eligible patient” as a person who, among other requirements, has a life-threatening disease or condition, as defined, and has not been accepted to participate in the clinical trial nearest to their home for the immediately life-threatening disease or condition, as specified, or in the medical judgment of a physician and surgeon, as defined, it is unreasonable for the patient to participate in that clinical trial due to the patient’s current condition and state of disease.
This bill would also include within the definition of “eligible patient” a patient whose immediately life-threatening disease or condition is in remission and the patient is continuing care with the previously established eligible out-of-state
physician and surgeon, and would provide that those patients are not subject to the clinical trial requirement, as specified.

Current Bill Text

Download Bill PDF