Rep. Norm Thurston — Voting Record

Bill

Number

H.B. 345 (2017GS)

Sponsor

Rep. Edwards, R.

Final action

Governor Signed 3/25/2017

Outcome

Became law — signed by Gov. Gary R. Herbert

Summary

What it does

• This bill:
• defines terms;
• requires the Department of Health to issue a request for proposals to contract with one or more persons to develop and implement one or more telehealth pilot projects in the state;
• describes the purpose of the pilot project;
• describes requirements for the request for proposals;
• requires the Department of Health to report to the Health and Human Services Interim Committee regarding the pilot project; and
• repeals the provisions of this bill on January 1, 2020.

Every vote on this bill

Bill text

TELEHEALTH PILOT PROJECT
GENERAL SESSION
STATE OF UTAH
Chief Sponsor: Rebecca P. Edwards
Senate Sponsor: 
 Brian E. Shiozawa
LONG TITLE
General Description:
This bill establishes the Telehealth Pilot Project.
Highlighted Provisions:
This bill:
▸ defines terms;
▸ requires the Department of Health to issue a request for proposals to contract with
one or more persons to develop and implement one or more telehealth pilot projects
in the state;
▸ describes the purpose of the pilot project;
▸ describes requirements for the request for proposals;
▸ requires the Department of Health to report to the Health and Human Services
Interim Committee regarding the pilot project; and
▸ repeals the provisions of this bill on January 1, 2020.
Money Appropriated in this Bill:
This bill appropriates in fiscal year 2018:
▸ to Department of Health - Family Health and Preparedness, as a one-time
appropriation:
• From General Fund, One-time, $350,000. 
Other Special Clauses:
None
Utah Code Sections Affected:
AMENDS:
63I-2-226
, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2016, Chapter 345
ENACTS:
26-59-101
, Utah Code Annotated 1953
26-59-102
, Utah Code Annotated 1953
26-59-103
, Utah Code Annotated 1953
26-59-104
, Utah Code Annotated 1953
Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
Section 1. Section 
26-59-101
 is enacted to read:
CHAPTER 59. TELEHEALTH PILOT PROGRAM
 26-59-101.
Title.
This chapter is known as "Telehealth Pilot Program."
Section 2. Section 
26-59-102
 is enacted to read:
 26-59-102.
Definitions.
As used in this section:
(1) "Grant" means a grant awarded by the department under this chapter to a person to
develop and implement a project.
(2) "Project" means a telehealth pilot project described in Section 
26-59-103
.
(3) "Telehealth services" means providing health care remotely through the use of
telecommunications technology.
Section 3. Section 
26-59-103
 is enacted to read:
 26-59-103.
Telehealth Pilot Project Grant Program.
(1) (a) On or before July 1, 2017, the department shall issue a request for proposals, in
accordance with Title 63G, Chapter 6a, Utah Procurement Code, to award a grant to one or
more persons to develop and implement one or more telehealth pilot projects in the state.
(b) A project described in this section shall run for two years.
(2) The purpose of a project is to:
(a) determine how telehealth services can best be used in the state to:
(i) increase access or convenience to health care, including specialized health care;
(ii) increase timeliness in crisis intervention;
(iii) reduce costs associated with obtaining health care; and
(iv) increase access to health care by rural populations and other underserved
populations;
(b) determine the best practices for providing telehealth services in the state; and
(c) identify the types of health care services for which telehealth services may be most
beneficial.
(3) A person who applies for a grant under this section shall:
(a) identify the population to which the person will provide telehealth services;
(b) explain how the population described in Subsection (3)(a):
(i) is currently underserved; and
(ii) will benefit from the provision of telehealth services;
(c) provide details regarding:
(i) how the person will provide the telehealth services;
(ii) the projected costs of providing the telehealth services;
(iii) the sustainability of the proposed project; and
(iv) the methods that the person will use to:
(A) protect the privacy of patients;
(B) collect nonidentifying data relating to the project; and
(C) provide transparency on the costs and operation of the project; and
(d) provide other information that the department requests to ensure that the proposed
project satisfies the criteria described in Subsection (4).
(4) In evaluating a proposal for a grant, the department shall consider:
(a) the extent to which the proposal will fulfill the purposes described in Subsection
(2);
(b) the extent to which the population that will be served by the proposed project:
(i) is currently underserved; and
(ii) is likely to benefit from the proposed project;
(c) the cost of the proposed project;
(d) the viability and innovation of the proposed project; and
(e) the extent to which the proposed project will yield useful data to evaluate the
effectiveness of the proposed project.
Section 4. Section 
26-59-104
 is enacted to read:
 26-59-104.
Reporting requirements.
(1) The department shall, before June 30, 2018, report to the Health and Human
Services Interim Committee regarding:
(a) each person who received a grant for a project;
(b) the details of the project; and
(c) the duration of the project.
(2) The department shall, before June 30, 2019, report to the Health and Human
Services Interim Committee regarding:
(a) the success of each project for which the department awarded a grant;
(b) data gathered in relation to each project;
(c) knowledge gained relating to the provision of telehealth services;
(d) proposals for the future use of telehealth services in the state;
(e) obstacles encountered in the provision of telehealth services; and
(f) changes needed in the law to overcome obstacles to providing telehealth services.
Section 5. Section 
63I-2-226
 is amended to read:
63I-2-226.
Repeal dates -- Title 26.
(1) Title 26, Chapter 46, Utah Health Care Workforce Financial Assistance Program, is
repealed July 1, 2017.
[
(2) Section 
26-18-412
 is repealed December 31, 2016.
]
(2) Title 26, Chapter 59, Telehealth Pilot Program, is repealed January 1, 2020.
Section 6. 
Appropriation.
The following sums of money are appropriated for the fiscal year beginning July 1,
2017, and ending June 30, 2018. These are additions to amounts previously appropriated for
fiscal year 2018. Under the terms and conditions of Title 63J, Chapter 1, Budgetary Procedures
Act, the Legislature appropriates the following sums of money from the funds or accounts
indicated for the use and support of the government of the state of Utah.
To Department of Health -- Family Health and Preparedness
From General Fund, One-time
$350,000
Schedule of Programs:
Telehealth Pilot Program $350,000
The Legislature intends that $300,000 of this appropriation be used for telehealth grants
to be awarded through a request for proposals. The remaining $50,000 shall be used for
program administration as described in Section 
26-59-103
.
Under Section 
63J-1-603
 the Legislature intends that appropriations provided in this
section not lapse at the end of fiscal year 2018. The use of any nonlapsing funds is limited to
the administration of Title 26, Chapter 59, Telehealth Pilot Program and funding the Telehealth
Pilot Project Grant Program described in Section 
26-59-103
.
Legislative Review Note
Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel