News Releases

Charbonneau's telehealth expansion bill passes Senate

STATEHOUSE (Feb. 2, 2021) – A bill authored by State Sen. Ed Charbonneau (R-Valparaiso) that would expand telehealth in Indiana recently passed out of the Senate with unanimous support.

Senate Bill 3 would permanently codify many of the expansions in telehealth implemented during the COVID-19 pandemic to ensure all Hoosiers have access to the health care they need regardless of where they live.

"In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, our state has greatly benefited from a temporary expansion of telehealth services," Charbonneau said. "Expanding telehealth services and updating practices to be more user-friendly is vital to the continued health of all Hoosiers. I am pleased to see this important bill pass out of the Senate, and I look forward to continuing to work with my colleagues as it moves through the legislative process."

SB 3 would put legal safeguards in place for Hoosiers receiving virtual care and require telehealth medical records to be created and maintained under the same standards of practice for patients in an in-person setting.

The bill would also expand the application of the telehealth statute currently in place to include more licensed practitioners and specify the various activities that would qualify as health care services under telehealth law.

SB 3 will now move to the House of Representatives for further consideration.

-30-

Click here for a high-resolution photo of Sen. Charbonneau.