95TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2007 and 2008
HB1953

 

Introduced 2/23/2007, by Rep. John E. Bradley

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
225 ILCS 60/49.5

    Amends the Medical Practice Act of 1987. Provides that "telemedicine" includes a consultation, with both the referring physician licensed under the Act and the patient whose case is being consulted upon, given by a licensed practitioner outside of the State with whom the referring physician has a professional relationship evidenced by a letter of agreement, for the purpose of tailoring the medical actions that are taken in regard to the patient accordingly.


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FISCAL NOTE ACT MAY APPLY

 

 

A BILL FOR

 

HB1953 LRB095 08770 RAS 28954 b

1     AN ACT concerning regulation.
 
2     Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3 represented in the General Assembly:
 
4     Section 5. The Medical Practice Act of 1987 is amended by
5 changing Section 49.5 as follows:
 
6     (225 ILCS 60/49.5)
7     (Section scheduled to be repealed on December 31, 2008)
8     Sec. 49.5. Telemedicine.
9     (a) The General Assembly finds and declares that because of
10 technological advances and changing practice patterns the
11 practice of medicine is occurring with increasing frequency
12 across state lines and that certain technological advances in
13 the practice of medicine are in the public interest. The
14 General Assembly further finds and declares that the practice
15 of medicine is a privilege and that the licensure by this State
16 of practitioners outside this State engaging in medical
17 practice within this State and the ability to discipline those
18 practitioners is necessary for the protection of the public
19 health, welfare, and safety.
20     (b) A person who engages in the practice of telemedicine
21 without a license issued under this Act shall be subject to
22 penalties provided in Section 59.
23     (c) For purposes of this Act, "telemedicine" means the

 

 

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1 performance of any of the activities listed in Section 49,
2 including, but not limited to, rendering written or oral
3 opinions concerning diagnosis or treatment of a patient in
4 Illinois by a person located outside the State of Illinois as a
5 result of transmission of individual patient data by
6 telephonic, electronic, or other means of communication from
7 within this State "Telemedicine" also includes a consultation,
8 with both the referring physician licensed under this Act and
9 the patient whose case is being consulted upon, given by a
10 licensed practitioner outside of this State with whom the
11 referring physician has a professional relationship evidenced
12 by a letter of agreement, for the purpose of tailoring the
13 medical actions that are taken in regard to the patient
14 accordingly. "Telemedicine" does not include the following:
15         (1) periodic consultations between a person licensed
16     under this Act and a person outside the State of Illinois;
17         (2) a second opinion provided to a person licensed
18     under this Act; and
19         (3) diagnosis or treatment services provided to a
20     patient in Illinois following care or treatment originally
21     provided to the patient in the state in which the provider
22     is licensed to practice medicine.
23     (d) Whenever the Department has reason to believe that a
24 person has violated this Section, the Department may issue a
25 rule to show cause why an order to cease and desist should not
26 be entered against that person. The rule shall clearly set

 

 

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1 forth the grounds relied upon by the Department and shall
2 provide a period of 7 days from the date of the rule to file an
3 answer to the satisfaction of the Department. Failure to answer
4 to the satisfaction of the Department shall cause an order to
5 cease and desist to be issued immediately.
6     (e) An out-of-state person providing a service listed in
7 Section 49 to a patient residing in Illinois through the
8 practice of telemedicine submits himself or herself to the
9 jurisdiction of the courts of this State.
10 (Source: P.A. 90-99, eff. 1-1-98.)