In Rhode Island, the practice of medicine is going long distance.\u00a0 This year, the Rhode Island Telemedicine Coverage Act went into effect, requiring insurers to provide coverage for telemedicine services to the same extent that they cover in-person care.\u00a0 RI Gen. Laws \u00a7 27-81-4.<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/strong>Telemedicine permits the delivery of health care services using real-time, two-way electronic audiovisual communications \u2013 including both video conferencing and \u201cstore-and-forward\u201d technology \u2013 to facilitate the assessment, diagnosis, treatment, and care management of a patient\u2019s health care.\u00a0 \u00a7 27-81-3(12).<\/p>\n Telemedicine does not<\/u> <\/em>encompass the use of any of the following:<\/p>\n (1) audio-only telephone conversations;<\/p>\n (2) email messages;<\/p>\n (3) facsimile transmissions; or<\/p>\n (4) automated computer programs used to diagnose or treat ocular or refractive conditions.<\/p>\n Id.<\/em>\u00a0 When medically appropriate, patients may receive health care services from the comfort of their own homes.\u00a0 \u00a7 27-81-3(9).\u00a0 Notably, the Act does not<\/u><\/em> require that a health care provider be located a minimum distance away from its patient to deliver health care services via telemedicine.\u00a0 Therefore, the language of the Act suggests that a provider may deliver health care services via telemedicine to a patient who lives across the state, or even across the street.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/strong>Rhode Island providers, however, may not<\/u><\/em> use telemedicine to deliver health care services across state borders.\u00a0 This limitation is subject to change if Rhode Island lawmakers choose to enter the Interstate Medical Licensure Compact (\u201cIMLC\u201d).\u00a0 The IMLC is an agreement between 24 states and one territory and the 31 medical and osteopathic boards within those jurisdictions.\u00a0 Under this agreement, licensed physicians who meet certain eligibility requirements can qualify to practice medicine across state lines within the IMLC.\u00a0 According to the IMLC,<\/a> approximately 80% of all physicians satisfy these eligibility requirements.<\/p>\n Presently, Maine and New Hampshire are the only New England member states.\u00a0 Vermont is likely to become the third New England member state, having passed IMLC legislation in December 2017.<\/p>\n On February 15, 2017, Rhode Island lawmakers introduced legislation allowing for the state\u2019s entry into the IMLC<\/a>. \u00a0<\/em>On June 30, 2017, Rhode Island lawmakers established a special legislative commission<\/a> to examine the advisability of Rhode Island joining the IMLC.\u00a0 That commission is expected to report its findings no later than January 1, 2019<\/a>.<\/p>\n Similarly, Rhode Island nurses may not<\/u><\/em> deliver health care services via telemedicine to patients across state borders.\u00a0 This was not always the case.\u00a0 For nearly a decade, Rhode Island was a member of the Nurse Licensure Compact (\u201cNLC\u201d), which permitted Rhode Island registered nurses and licensed\/practical vocational nurses to use telemedicine to provide health care in 24 other states across the country.\u00a0 January 19, 2018, however, marked the implementation of the enhanced Nurse Licensure Compact (\u201ceNLC\u201d), which serves the same purpose as the preceding Compact.\u00a0 Presently, 30 states comprise the eNLC, with Maine and New Hampshire serving as New England\u2019s sole representation.\u00a0 Despite the General Assembly\u2019s introduction of legislation allowing Rhode Island\u2019s entry into the eNLC<\/a> at the beginning of this year, that bill was held for further study.\u00a0 As a result, to date, Rhode Island has not yet joined the eNLC and its nurses, therefore, can no longer deliver health care services via telemedicine to patients across state borders.<\/p>\n