the use of audio-only telephone conversation, facsimile, e-mail,
instant messaging, phone text, answers to an online
questionnaire or any combination thereof.
Section 3. Licensure of health care practitioner.
(a) Requirements.--Except as provided in section 5, the
Commonwealth's health professional boards shall maintain
consistent licensure or certification and standards of care
requirements between in-person and telemedicine-provided
practices. A health care practitioner who delivers services
through the use of telemedicine shall be subject to the laws of
this Commonwealth that require licensure, certification or other
authorization to practice a health care profession, held to the
same standard of professional practice as a similar licensee of
the same practice area or specialty that is providing the same
healthcare services through in-person encounters. Nothing in
this section is intended to create any new standards of care.
(b) Restriction.--The board or licensing entity governing
any health care practitioner covered by this section shall not
establish a more restrictive standard of professional practice
for the practice of telemedicine than that specifically
authorized by the practitioner's practice act or other
specifically applicable statute, including prescribing and
dispensing controlled substances.
Section 4. Professional liability coverage.
(a) General requirements.--A health care practitioner who
provides a health care service to an individual located in this
Commonwealth through telemedicine shall be subject to the laws
of this Commonwealth that require health care practitioners to
maintain professional liability insurance, pay assessments to
the Medical Care Availability and Reduction of Error (Mcare)
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