Healthcare (Telehealth)

in committee · Pennsylvania · House Jun 9, 2026

HB 2613: An Act providing for complex wheelchair quality assurance; and imposing duties on the Department of Human Services and the Insurance Department.

This bill requires health insurance policies and government programs in Pennsylvania to cover semiannual maintenance and safety checks for complex wheelchairs. It defines complex wheelchairs as custom-designed medical devices that need regular adjustments to meet a user's specific physical needs. The law mandates that these coverage plans pay for the labor and travel costs associated with these evaluations, which can be conducted either in person or via telehealth. By imposing these duties on the Department of Human Services and the Insurance Department, the act ensures that individuals relying on specialized mobility equipment receive consistent care to maintain the device's functionality.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill mandates insurance coverage for essential wheelchair maintenance, expanding access to necessary medical equipment and services.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Insurance Telehealth

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signed · Pennsylvania · House Jul 20, 2026

HB 482: An Act authorizing the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania to join the Interstate Compact; providing for the form of the compact; and imposing additional powers and duties on the Governor, the Secretary of the Commonwealth and the Compact.

HB 482 authorizes Pennsylvania to join the Interstate Occupational Therapy Licensure Compact, enabling licensed occupational therapists and assistants from Pennsylvania to practice in other participating states without obtaining separate licenses. The bill establishes mechanisms for mutual recognition of licenses, sharing of disciplinary and investigative data between states, and accountability for practitioners providing services across state lines. It directly affects occupational therapists, assistants, and patients seeking services in multiple states, particularly supporting military spouses relocating and expanding telehealth access. Key provisions include requiring states to participate in a shared data system, defining terms like "Compact Privilege," and preserving each state’s regulatory authority over local practice standards. This is a procedural bill enabling Pennsylvania’s participation in an existing interstate framework, not creating new licensing requirements.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareEnables cross-state practice for occupational therapists, improving access to healthcare services by removing licensing barriers for medical professionals.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Medical Licensing Telehealth

in committee · Pennsylvania · Senate Apr 9, 2025

SB 594: An Act providing for complex wheelchair quality assurance; and imposing duties on the Department of Human Services and the Insurance Department.

SB 594, the Complex Wheelchair Quality Assurance Act, requires health insurers and government programs (like Medicaid) to cover semiannual maintenance visits ("well-visits") for individuals using complex wheelchairs. These wheelchairs are defined as individually configured devices designed for specific medical needs, requiring specialized adjustments and evaluations. The bill mandates coverage for physical checks, adjustments, and telehealth options for these visits, along with annual notifications to users about their coverage. It also directs the Department of Human Services and Insurance Department to establish implementation rules within two years.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareMandates insurers/Medicaid coverage for semiannual wheelchair maintenance visits, expanding access to essential medical device care and protecting patient rights for complex wheelchair users.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Medicaid Telehealth

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signed · Pennsylvania · Senate Jul 12, 2026

SB 604: An Act authorizing the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania to join the Counseling Compact; and providing for the form of the compact.

SB 604 authorizes Pennsylvania to join the Counseling Compact, a multi-state agreement allowing licensed professional counselors to practice across participating states without obtaining separate licenses. This directly affects licensed counselors - especially those serving military families who relocate frequently - and their clients in member states. Key provisions include mutual recognition of licenses, standardized disciplinary processes, and support for telehealth services to improve access to counseling. The compact eliminates the need for counselors to hold multiple state licenses while ensuring accountability under each state’s practice laws where the client is located.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareEnables cross-state practice for counselors, improving mental health access via mutual licensure and telehealth support95% confidence

Sub-Topics Telehealth

in committee · Pennsylvania · House Feb 4, 2026

HB 1641: An Act amending the act of March 20, 2002 (P.L.154, No.13), known as the Medical Care Availability and Reduction of Error (Mcare) Act, in insurance, providing for adverse actions against legal reproductive health care.

HB 1641 prohibits Pennsylvania medical liability insurers from taking adverse actions against healthcare providers who offer legal reproductive health services, including abortion care via telemedicine, to out-of-state patients. It specifically bans insurers from refusing coverage renewals, raising premiums, or reporting providers solely for providing such services that comply with Pennsylvania law. The law applies to providers prescribing medication to terminate pregnancies for out-of-state patients using telemedicine. This directly affects insurers and healthcare providers serving patients in states with stricter abortion laws, preventing insurance penalties for legal telemedicine care.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareProhibits insurers from penalizing providers offering legal reproductive care, protecting access to abortion services and advancing patient rights in healthcare access.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Telehealth Women's Health

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in committee · Pennsylvania · Senate Jun 24, 2025

SB 884: An Act amending the act of March 20, 2002 (P.L.154, No.13), known as the Medical Care Availability and Reduction of Error (Mcare) Act, in insurance, prohibiting certain adverse actions against legal reproductive health care.

SB 884 amends Pennsylvania's MCare Act to prohibit health insurance companies from taking negative actions against healthcare providers who offer legal reproductive health services, including telemedicine prescriptions for pregnancy termination to out-of-state patients. The bill specifically bans insurers from refusing to renew policies, raising premiums, or making other unfavorable changes solely because a provider offers such services permitted under Pennsylvania law. It defines "adverse actions" to include contract terminations, negative reporting to authorities, and coverage changes. This directly affects medical liability insurers and providers offering reproductive care, ensuring they cannot face financial penalties for serving patients from other states legally. The law takes effect 60 days after enactment.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareProhibits insurers from taking adverse actions against providers offering legal reproductive health services, protecting patient access to care under Pennsylvania law.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Insurance Telehealth Women's Health

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in committee · Pennsylvania · Senate Apr 30, 2025

SB 702: An Act amending Title 35 (Health and Safety) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, providing for telemedicine prohibited for medication safety.

This bill amends Pennsylvania law to prohibit healthcare providers from using telemedicine to prescribe certain medications to patients within the state. Specifically, it disallows the use of telemedicine for medications that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has designated with a "risk evaluation and mitigation strategy." These strategies are special safety programs implemented by the FDA for medications with specific serious risks. The aim is to enhance medication safety by ensuring such medications are not prescribed remotely via telemedicine.

Topics ✗ HealthcareOpposes HealthcareProhibits telemedicine for FDA-mandated risk medications, restricting patient access to certain prescriptions via remote care.95% confidence ✗ TechnologyOpposes TechnologyBill explicitly prohibits telemedicine for prescribing certain medications, restricting technology use in healthcare to enhance safety, directly limiting a technology application.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Telehealth

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passed · Pennsylvania · House Jun 25, 2025

HB 1445: An Act amending Title 40 (Insurance) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, providing for school-based services; and, in telemedicine, further providing for insurance coverage of telemedicine.

HB 1445 requires health insurers in Pennsylvania to cover medically necessary health services provided in schools - such as mental health care, behavioral health services, and speech therapy - without denying coverage solely because the service occurs in a school setting. It prohibits insurers from excluding coverage based on location (e.g., through "school setting" or "place of service" exclusions), applying to public, charter, cyber charter, and private schools. Exceptions allow denials if services are provided by unlicensed individuals, are not medically necessary per insurer policies, or conflict with existing legal obligations (like IEPs). This law directly affects students receiving school-based care, insurers, and school entities, ensuring coverage parity for services delivered on school premises.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationRequires insurers to cover school-based health services (mental health, therapy) without location-based denials, enhancing student access to care and supporting educational well-being.95% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareMandates insurance coverage for school-based mental health, behavioral health, and speech therapy services, prohibiting location-based exclusions to expand access to care.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Student Health Insurance Telehealth

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in committee · Pennsylvania · Senate Mar 16, 2026

SB 571: An Act authorizing the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania to join the Interstate Compact; providing for the form of the compact; imposing additional powers and duties on the Governor, the Secretary of the Commonwealth and the Compact.

SB 571 authorizes Pennsylvania to join the Interstate Occupational Therapy Licensure Compact, enabling occupational therapists licensed in one participating state to practice in Pennsylvania without obtaining a separate Pennsylvania license. It establishes that therapists practice where their patient is located, requires states to share licensure and disciplinary information, and includes provisions for military spouses relocating across state lines. The bill directly affects licensed occupational therapists, patients seeking services across state lines, and state licensing boards managing professional standards. Key mechanisms include mutual license recognition, a shared data system for tracking disciplinary actions, and telehealth service access rules. (3 sentences)

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareEnables out-of-state occupational therapists to practice in PA without separate license, improving access to therapy services and supporting healthcare professionals.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Medical Licensing Telehealth

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