1     
TELEHEALTH PILOT PROJECT

2     
2017 GENERAL SESSION

3     
STATE OF UTAH

4     
Chief Sponsor: Rebecca P. Edwards

5     
Senate Sponsor: Brian E. Shiozawa

6     

7     LONG TITLE
8     General Description:
9          This bill establishes the Telehealth Pilot Project.
10     Highlighted Provisions:
11          This bill:
12          ▸     defines terms;
13          ▸     requires the Department of Health to issue a request for proposals to contract with
14     one or more persons to develop and implement one or more telehealth pilot projects
15     in the state;
16          ▸     describes the purpose of the pilot project;
17          ▸     describes requirements for the request for proposals;
18          ▸     requires the Department of Health to report to the Health and Human Services
19     Interim Committee regarding the pilot project; and
20          ▸     repeals the provisions of this bill on January 1, 2020.
21     Money Appropriated in this Bill:
22          This bill appropriates in fiscal year 2018:
23          ▸     to Department of Health - Family Health and Preparedness, as a one-time
24     appropriation:
25               •     From General Fund, One-time, $350,000.
26     Other Special Clauses:
27          None

28     Utah Code Sections Affected:
29     AMENDS:
30          63I-2-226, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2016, Chapter 345
31     ENACTS:
32          26-59-101, Utah Code Annotated 1953
33          26-59-102, Utah Code Annotated 1953
34          26-59-103, Utah Code Annotated 1953
35          26-59-104, Utah Code Annotated 1953
36     

37     Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
38          Section 1. Section 26-59-101 is enacted to read:
39     
CHAPTER 59. TELEHEALTH PILOT PROGRAM

40          26-59-101. Title.
41          This chapter is known as "Telehealth Pilot Program."
42          Section 2. Section 26-59-102 is enacted to read:
43          26-59-102. Definitions.
44          As used in this section:
45          (1) "Grant" means a grant awarded by the department under this chapter to a person to
46     develop and implement a project.
47          (2) "Project" means a telehealth pilot project described in Section 26-59-103.
48          (3) "Telehealth services" means providing health care remotely through the use of
49     telecommunications technology.
50          Section 3. Section 26-59-103 is enacted to read:
51          26-59-103. Telehealth Pilot Project Grant Program.
52          (1) (a) On or before July 1, 2017, the department shall issue a request for proposals, in
53     accordance with Title 63G, Chapter 6a, Utah Procurement Code, to award a grant to one or
54     more persons to develop and implement one or more telehealth pilot projects in the state.
55          (b) A project described in this section shall run for two years.
56          (2) The purpose of a project is to:
57          (a) determine how telehealth services can best be used in the state to:
58          (i) increase access or convenience to health care, including specialized health care;

59          (ii) increase timeliness in crisis intervention;
60          (iii) reduce costs associated with obtaining health care; and
61          (iv) increase access to health care by rural populations and other underserved
62     populations;
63          (b) determine the best practices for providing telehealth services in the state; and
64          (c) identify the types of health care services for which telehealth services may be most
65     beneficial.
66          (3) A person who applies for a grant under this section shall:
67          (a) identify the population to which the person will provide telehealth services;
68          (b) explain how the population described in Subsection (3)(a):
69          (i) is currently underserved; and
70          (ii) will benefit from the provision of telehealth services;
71          (c) provide details regarding:
72          (i) how the person will provide the telehealth services;
73          (ii) the projected costs of providing the telehealth services;
74          (iii) the sustainability of the proposed project; and
75          (iv) the methods that the person will use to:
76          (A) protect the privacy of patients;
77          (B) collect nonidentifying data relating to the project; and
78          (C) provide transparency on the costs and operation of the project; and
79          (d) provide other information that the department requests to ensure that the proposed
80     project satisfies the criteria described in Subsection (4).
81          (4) In evaluating a proposal for a grant, the department shall consider:
82          (a) the extent to which the proposal will fulfill the purposes described in Subsection
83     (2);
84          (b) the extent to which the population that will be served by the proposed project:
85          (i) is currently underserved; and
86          (ii) is likely to benefit from the proposed project;
87          (c) the cost of the proposed project;
88          (d) the viability and innovation of the proposed project; and
89          (e) the extent to which the proposed project will yield useful data to evaluate the

90     effectiveness of the proposed project.
91          Section 4. Section 26-59-104 is enacted to read:
92          26-59-104. Reporting requirements.
93          (1) The department shall, before June 30, 2018, report to the Health and Human
94     Services Interim Committee regarding:
95          (a) each person who received a grant for a project;
96          (b) the details of the project; and
97          (c) the duration of the project.
98          (2) The department shall, before June 30, 2019, report to the Health and Human
99     Services Interim Committee regarding:
100          (a) the success of each project for which the department awarded a grant;
101          (b) data gathered in relation to each project;
102          (c) knowledge gained relating to the provision of telehealth services;
103          (d) proposals for the future use of telehealth services in the state;
104          (e) obstacles encountered in the provision of telehealth services; and
105          (f) changes needed in the law to overcome obstacles to providing telehealth services.
106          Section 5. Section 63I-2-226 is amended to read:
107          63I-2-226. Repeal dates -- Title 26.
108          (1) Title 26, Chapter 46, Utah Health Care Workforce Financial Assistance Program, is
109     repealed July 1, 2017.
110          [(2) Section 26-18-412 is repealed December 31, 2016.]
111          (2) Title 26, Chapter 59, Telehealth Pilot Program, is repealed January 1, 2020.
112          Section 6. Appropriation.
113           The following sums of money are appropriated for the fiscal year beginning July 1,
114     2017, and ending June 30, 2018. These are additions to amounts previously appropriated for
115     fiscal year 2018. Under the terms and conditions of Title 63J, Chapter 1, Budgetary Procedures
116     Act, the Legislature appropriates the following sums of money from the funds or accounts
117     indicated for the use and support of the government of the state of Utah.
118          To Department of Health -- Family Health and Preparedness
119               From General Fund, One-time
$350,000

120               Schedule of Programs:

121                    Telehealth Pilot Program               $350,000
122          The Legislature intends that $300,000 of this appropriation be used for telehealth grants
123     to be awarded through a request for proposals. The remaining $50,000 shall be used for
124     program administration as described in Section 26-59-103.
125          Under Section 63J-1-603 the Legislature intends that appropriations provided in this
126     section not lapse at the end of fiscal year 2018. The use of any nonlapsing funds is limited to
127     the administration of Title 26, Chapter 59, Telehealth Pilot Program and funding the Telehealth
128     Pilot Project Grant Program described in Section 26-59-103.






Legislative Review Note
Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel