HLS 20RS-963 ORIGINAL
2020 Regular Session
HOUSE BILL NO. 449
BY REPRESENTATIVE ECHOLS
HEALTH SERVICES: Provides relative to behavioral health services delivered via
telehealth
1 AN ACT
2To amend and reenact R.S. 40:1223.3(6) and to enact R.S. 40:2153(16) and 2156(B)(16),
3 relative to behavioral health services; to provide relative to delivery of such services
4 through telehealth; to provide for definitions; to provide for regulation of behavioral
5 health services providers by the Louisiana Department of Health; to provide for
6 administrative rulemaking by the department relative to behavioral health services;
7 and to provide for related matters.
8Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
9 Section 1. R.S. 40:1223.3(6) is hereby amended and reenacted and R.S. 40:2153(16)
10and 2156(B)(16) are hereby enacted to read as follows:
11 §1223.3. Definitions
12 * * *
13 (6) "Telehealth" means a mode of delivering healthcare services, including
14 behavioral health services, that utilizes information and communication technologies
15 to enable the diagnosis, consultation, treatment, education, care management, and
16 self-management of patients at a distance from healthcare providers. Telehealth
17 allows services to be accessed when providers are in a distant site and patients are
18 in the originating site. Telehealth facilitates patient self-management and caregiver
19 support for patients and includes synchronous interactions and asynchronous store
20 and forward transfers.
21 * * *
Page 1 of 2
CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions. HLS 20RS-963 ORIGINAL
HB NO. 449
1 §2153. Definitions
2 * * *
3 (16) "Telehealth" has the meaning ascribed in R.S. 40:1223.3.
4 * * *
5 §2156. Rules and regulations; licensing standards; fees
6 * * *
7 B. The department shall prescribe, promulgate, and publish rules,
8 regulations, and licensing standards for behavioral health services providers. The
9 rules, regulations, and licensing standards shall include but are not limited to the
10 following:
11 * * *
12 (16) Delivery of behavioral health services through telehealth.
13 * * *
DIGEST
The digest printed below was prepared by House Legislative Services. It constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument. The keyword, one-liner, abstract, and digest do not constitute
part of the law or proof or indicia of legislative intent. [R.S. 1:13(B) and 24:177(E)]
HB 449 Original 2020 Regular Session Echols
Abstract: Provides relative to behavioral health services delivered via telehealth and
regulation of such services by the La. Department of Health.
Present law, the Louisiana Telehealth Access Act (R.S. 40:1223.1 et seq.), defines
"telehealth", in pertinent part, as a mode of delivering healthcare services that utilizes
information and communication technologies to enable the diagnosis, consultation,
treatment, education, care management, and self-management of patients at a distance from
healthcare providers. Proposed law amends this definition to provide that healthcare
services delivered via telehealth include behavioral health services.
Present law, the Behavioral Health Services Provider Licensing Law (R.S. 40:2151 et seq.),
requires the La. Department of Health to promulgate rules and regulations for behavioral
health services providers. Proposed law provides that such rules and regulations address the
delivery of behavioral health services through telehealth.
(Amends R.S. 40:1223.3(6); Adds R.S. 40:2153(16) and 2156(B)(16))
Page 2 of 2
CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions.