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The report from the Reason Foundation, Cicero Institute, and
Pioneer Institute graded every state’s telehealth laws in four
areas, including allowing patients to access telehealth across
state lines without licensing getting in the way. Illinois
received a poor grade in that area.
Vittorio Nastasi, director of criminal justice policy, said
telehealth was critical during the pandemic, especially in
certain areas of Illinois and the rest of the country where
health care facilities are scarce.
“That is most often a problem for people who live in rural
communities without enough providers in their local area,”
Nastasi said.
Illinois scored well in two areas: patients can access all forms
of telehealth, and patients can start a telehealth relationship
by any mode.
A law passed by the Illinois General Assembly in 2021 requires
state-regulated health insurance plans to cover and reimburse
for telehealth services at the same level as in-person care.
The report said laws in New Jersey, South Carolina and Virginia
failed to meet best practices in all categories.
“A surprising number of states have only made minor tweaks to
their telehealth laws,” said Josh Archambault, co-author of the
policy brief and senior fellow at the Cicero Institute and
Pioneer Institute. “Lawmakers must refocus their efforts to
ensure their states have clear laws and guidelines in place so
that patients and providers can benefit from today’s telehealth
services and future innovations.”
Kevin Bessler reports on statewide issues in
Illinois for the Center Square. He has over 30 years of
experience in radio news reporting throughout the Midwest.
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