New bill would allow out-of-state physicians to provide telehealth services in Minnesota

Recently, a bill was introduced in the Senate to expand telehealth services in Minnesota. The bill, if approved, will allow a physician not licensed in Minnesota to provide telehealth services in Minnesota if the following conditions are met:

(1) the physician is licensed without restriction to practice medicine in the state from
which the physician provides telehealth services;

(2) the physician has not had a license to practice medicine revoked or restricted in any
state or jurisdiction;

(3) the physician does not open an office in this state, does not meet with patients in this
state, and does not receive calls in this state from patients; and

(4) the physician annually registers with the board, on a form provided by the board.

The pandemic has exposed the irrationalities of some licensing requirements

The coronavirus pandemic has exposed the irrationalities of some licensing rules. Like other states, Minnesota has loosened licensing restrictions to ensure residents have access to health care services.

This is welcome. But as I have written before, these changes raise the question of why these laws exist in the first place.

According to Minnesota statutes 2019, section 12.42, during a declared emergency, a person who holds a certificate, license or permit from another state or the District of Columbia can operate as if licensed by the state of Minnesota, subject to some limitations. Therefore, to meet the needs of Minnesotan patients, out of state qualifying practitioners will be allowed to aid patients in the state during this emergency period.

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But this begs the question of why out-of-state healthcare providers cannot treat Minnesotans in normal times.

With just a stroke of a pen, Gov Walz has removed some significant impediments allowing out-of-state practitioners to practice in Minnesota, without any worry about their qualifications or skills. Yet in normal times, these same practitioners would not be able to practice in Minnesota.

There are many benefits to expanding telehealth services. In rural Minnesota, telehealth could especially help mitigate the shortage of healthcare access. During the pandemic, telehealth has proven as a very useful and convenient tool to connect with patients.

This bill is a step in the right direction. It represents a more logical approach to licensing healthcare workers.