Telehealth Advisory Committee

The Telehealth Advisory Committee began meeting in July 2021 in accordance with HB2454. The committee is tasked with identifying best practices for telehealth.

• Requires the Advisory Committee to review national and other standards for telehealth best practices and relevant peer-reviewed literature.
• Allows the Advisory Committee to conduct public meetings at which testimony may be taken regarding the efficacy of various communications media and the types of services and populations for which telehealth is appropriate.
• Requires the Advisory Committee to adopt telehealth best practices guidelines and recommendations regarding the health care services that may be appropriately provided through an audio-only telehealth format and make updates, when applicable.
• Requires the Advisory Committee, before making its recommendations, to:
  • Analyze medical literature and national practice guidelines;
  • Consider the comparative effectiveness, safety and benefit to the patient of performing a service through an audio-only telehealth format instead of in person or through an audio-visual format; and
  • Consider the appropriate frequency and duration of audio-only telehealth encounters.
• Allows the Advisory Committee to authorize subcommittees to address select issues or services and report to the Advisory Committee as directed.
• Requires the Advisory Committee to submit a report to the Governor, the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives by:
  • December 1, 2021, with recommendations regarding the specific health care services that are appropriate to provide through an audio-only telehealth format as a substitute for an in-person or audio-visual telehealth encounter; and
  • June 30, 2022, with recommendations regarding telehealth best practice guidelines for health care providers.
• Requires AHCCCS to staff the Advisory Committee and provide meeting space.
• Requires, from October 1, 2021 until January 1, 2026, each health care provider regulatory board or agency to submit to the Advisory Committee a report identifying the number and type of out-of-state health care providers who have applied for interstate telehealth registration and the number and type of out-of-state health care providers who registration has been approved.
• Terminates the Advisory Committee on July 1, 2029.