The Minnesota Legislature is meeting tomorrow. The bill that they will vote on is posted online. I have tried to pull out anything that has to do with broadband. You’ll see there isn’t anything for infrastructure. Mostly it includes allowances to remove policy barriers to telehealth.

Sec. 15. LICENSED RESPIRATORY CARE THERAPISTS; TELEMEDICINE.​

11.5 (a) For purposes of Minnesota Statutes, section 62A.671, a respiratory therapist licensed​ 11.6 under Minnesota Statutes, chapter 147C, shall be included in the definition of a licensed​ 11.7 health care provider and respiratory care services provided by a licensed respiratory care​ 11.8 therapist in accordance with Minnesota Statutes, chapter 147C, shall be covered as a​ 11.9 telemedicine service, if delivered in accordance with Minnesota Statutes, section 62A.671.​

11.10 (b) This section expires 60 days after the peacetime emergency declared by the governor​ 11.11 in an executive order that relates to the infectious disease known as COVID-19 is terminated,​ 11.12 rescinded, or expires.​

 

Sec. 14. TELEMEDICINE COVERAGE DURING A PEACETIME EMERGENCY.​

10.16 Subdivision 1.Peacetime emergency; temporary modification to telemedicine​ 10.17 coverage.During a peacetime emergency declared by the governor under Minnesota Statutes,​ 10.18 section 12.31, subdivision 2, for an outbreak of COVID-19, coverage of telemedicine​ 10.19 services by health carriers must comply with this section.​

10.20 Subd. 2.Licensed health care provider.The definition of “licensed health care provider”​ 10.21 under Minnesota Statutes, section 62A.671, subdivision 6, must include a mental health​ 10.22 practitioner defined under Minnesota Statutes, section 245.462, subdivision 17, or 245.4871,​ 10.23 subdivision 26, working under the supervision of a mental health professional.​

10.24 Subd. 3.Definition of telemedicine.The definition of “telemedicine” under Minnesota​ 10.25 Statutes, section 62A.671, subdivision 9, must include communication between a licensed​ 10.26 health care provider and a patient that consists solely or primarily of a telephone conversation.​

10.27 Subd. 4.Reimbursement.(a) A health carrier shall not deny or limit reimbursement​ 10.28 based solely on a provider delivering consultations or health care services by telemedicine​ 10.29 instead of in-person.​

10.30 (b) A health carrier shall not deny or limit reimbursement based solely on the mechanism​ 10.31 or platform of telemedicine used by the provider to deliver consultations or health care​ 10.32 services so long as the mechanism or platform used by the provider allows for the delivery​ 10.33 of telemedicine services as defined in Minnesota Statutes, section 62A.671, subdivision 9.​ Subd. 5.Expiration.This section expires 60 days after the peacetime emergency specified​ 11.2 in subdivision 1 is terminated or rescinded by proper authority.​

11.3 EFFECTIVE DATE.This section is effective the day following final enactment.​

11.4 Sec. 15. LICENSED RESPIRATORY CARE THERAPISTS; TELEMEDICINE.​

11.5 (a) For purposes of Minnesota Statutes, section 62A.671, a respiratory therapist licensed​ 11.6 under Minnesota Statutes, chapter 147C, shall be included in the definition of a licensed​ 11.7 health care provider and respiratory care services provided by a licensed respiratory care​ 11.8 therapist in accordance with Minnesota Statutes, chapter 147C, shall be covered as a​ 11.9 telemedicine service, if delivered in accordance with Minnesota Statutes, section 62A.671.​

11.10 (b) This section expires 60 days after the peacetime emergency declared by the governor​ 11.11 in an executive order that relates to the infectious disease known as COVID-19 is terminated,​ 11.12 rescinded, or expires.​

11.13 EFFECTIVE DATE.This section is effective the day following final enactment.​