Texas Governor Signs Telehealth Bill Into Law

For Immediate Release

Washington, DC – The ERISA Industry Committee (ERIC) applauds Texas Governor Greg Abbott for signing Senate Bill 1107 into law over the weekend. ERIC is especially pleased that the bill requires the same standard of care for telehealth services as for in-person visits, permits e-prescribing, and eliminates the requirement that a provider and patient meet in person before taking advantage of telehealth services.

As the only national association that advocates exclusively for large employers on health, retirement, and compensation public policies at the state, federal, and local levels, ERIC had been extremely active over the past year in helping to create barrier-free access to telehealth for our members, many of whom have employees and retirees in Texas.

“After a very long road and hard fought debate, ERIC is pleased that lawmakers were able to craft a bill that will allow millions of Texans access to the care they need, when and where they need it,” said Adam Greathouse, Health Policy Associate, ERIC. “The actions by Governor Abbott are a positive step forward in telehealth’s growing acceptance across the country.”

ERIC previously submitted testimony supporting S.B. 1107 and its companion House Bill 2697. ERIC also filed an amicus brief with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit in Teladoc, Inc. et al v. Texas Medical Board et al supporting the use of telemedicine and in February 2016, ERIC submitted testimony to the House Health and Human Services Committee calling for technology-neutral requirements allowing for the use of different telemedicine platforms and licensing policies that facilitate interstate practice and urged Texas legislators not to force patients to visit specific locations to access telemedicine services and not to impose additional requirements on telemedicine providers that are not imposed on in-person visits.

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All media inquiries to The ERISA Industry Committee should be directed to media@eric.org.

About The ERISA Industry Committee
ERIC is a national advocacy organization that exclusively represents large employers that provide health, retirement, paid leave, and other benefits to their nationwide workforces. With member companies that are leaders in every sector of the economy, ERIC advocates on the federal, state, and local levels for policies that promote flexibility and uniformity in the administration of their employee benefit plans.