Trending in Telehealth highlights monthly state legislative and regulatory developments that impact the healthcare providers, telehealth and digital health companies, pharmacists and technology companies that deliver and facilitate the delivery of virtual care.
Trending in August:
- Telehealth expansion
- Teledentistry
- Veterinary telemedicine
- Mental and behavioral health
A CLOSER LOOK
Proposed Legislation & Rulemaking
- California was active in the telehealth space in August, proposing several bills covering areas such as Medi-Cal improvements, scope of practice for tele-veterinary services, and pilot programs:
- California’s Telehealth for All Act of 2025, AB 688, passed both chambers. The bill would enhance the use of telehealth services within the Medi-Cal program by requiring analyses and reporting on telehealth utilization and access every two years.
- California AB 1502 passed one chamber and would clarify scope of practice, recordkeeping, and supervision requirements for veterinarians using telemedicine.
- California SB 775 passed one chamber and would extend certain operations of the Board of Psychology and the Board of Behavioral Sciences to January 1, 2030. It would extend a provision that includes contact via two-way, real-time videoconferencing in the definition of “face-to-face contact” for the purpose of direct supervisor contact. This provision was previously set to expire on January 1, 2026.
- California SB 669 passed one chamber and would establish a five-year pilot for rural hospitals more than 60 minutes away from full maternity services to offer standby perinatal care starting in 2025. Participating hospitals would have to meet specific requirements, including having telemedicine policies for real-time perinatal and neonatal consultations.
- California SB 660 passed one chamber and would expand oversight of the California Health and Human Services Data Exchange Framework by the Department of Health Care Access and Information. The bill would mandate the establishment of a data sharing system among healthcare entities and government agencies by January 1, 2026, to enhance health information exchange. A new CalHHS Data Exchange Board, consisting of 14 members, would be created to ensure compliance with the data sharing framework. The bill also seeks to designate qualified health information organizations as intermediaries.
- California SB 338 passed one chamber and aims to establish a pilot program to expand access to health services for farmworkers in rural areas through virtual health hubs. These hubs, featuring essential telemedicine infrastructure such as Wi-Fi and exam rooms, would be funded by grants to community-based organizations with a history of serving medically underserved communities. The program would specifically target Latino farmworker communities to address issues such as diabetes, high blood pressure, and access to healthcare, which are exacerbated by factors such as language barriers and low-income levels. Implementation would depend on grant recipients fulfilling financial criteria, and the program would be evaluated via a report submitted to the legislature based on data collected from the health hubs.
- California AB 341 passed one chamber and would require the Department of Developmental Services to contract with a public [...]
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