72nd OREGON LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY--2003 Regular Session
 
NOTE:  Matter within  { +  braces and plus signs + } in an
amended section is new. Matter within  { -  braces and minus
signs - } is existing law to be omitted. New sections are within
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 LC 1272
 
                    House Joint Resolution 4
 
Ordered printed by the Speaker pursuant to House Rule 12.00A (5).
  Presession filed (at the request of Joint Legislative Committee
  on Information Management and Technology for Oregon
  Telecommunication Coordinating Council)
 
 
                             SUMMARY
 
The following summary is not prepared by the sponsors of the
measure and is not a part of the body thereof subject to
consideration by the Legislative Assembly. It is an editor's
brief statement of the essential features of the measure as
introduced.
 
  Expresses legislative encouragement and support for certain
reimbursement policies for medical services provided via
telecommunications.
 
                        JOINT RESOLUTION
  Whereas in 1997 the Oregon Telecommunications Forum Council
stated that one of its goals was to 'increase the quality of
local healthcare available in all areas of the state through
telecommunications'; and
  Whereas the Oregon Telecommunications Forum Council created a
telemedicine workgroup to study telemedicine issues and present
its findings and recommendations to the Seventieth Legislative
Assembly; and
  Whereas the Seventieth Legislative Assembly passed Senate Bill
600 (1999), creating a system of telemedicine licensing in
Oregon; and
  Whereas the Oregon Telecommunication Coordinating Council
determined that the biggest barrier to successful telemedicine is
the problem of insurance reimbursement; and
  Whereas the Oregon Telecommunication Coordinating Council
recommends that telemedicine reimbursement policies apply to all
Oregonians; now, therefore,
Be It Resolved by the Legislative Assembly of the State of
  Oregon:
  That we, the members of the Seventy-second Legislative
Assembly, encourage and support the following policies for
telemedicine reimbursement in the State of Oregon:
  (1) Medical providers who are reimbursed for services provided
in person should be reimbursed for the same services when
provided via telecommunications.
  (2) Any clinical service or diagnosis that is reimbursed when
provided in person and that can be delivered appropriately via
telecommunications should be eligible for reimbursement.
  (3) With the exception of medically appropriate 'store and
forward' technology to deliver clinical services or diagnoses,
reimbursable services should include clinician-to-patient
services and not clinician-to-clinician services.
 
  (4) A patient informed consent document should be used for
telemedicine services. This document should contain the
components outlined in a model informed consent document.
  (5) A patient should have the right to choose either
telemedicine or in-person services when both are available.
  (6) Payers should consider transmission costs when reimbursing
for telemedicine services.
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