HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 2916        FILED ON: 2/18/2021

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 125

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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PRESENTED BY:

Bradley H. Jones, Jr.

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To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:

The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:

An Act relative to the promotion of secure telehealth systems.

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PETITION OF:

HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 2916        FILED ON: 2/18/2021

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 125

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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In the One Hundred and Ninety-Second General Court
(2021-2022)

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An Act relative to the promotion of secure telehealth systems.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
 

SECTION 1. Notwithstanding any general or special laws to the contrary, there shall be established a commission to study and report on the safety and privacy concerns of telemedicine systems for the purpose of ensuring safe use by providers and patients, and to promote the secure use and expansion of telemedicine systems.

The commission shall (1) identify risks posed to consumers by telemedicine systems such as the breach of personal data; (2) review and identify gaps in the current regulatory framework and security principles governing telemedicine in Massachusetts; (3) evaluate the effectiveness of privacy and risk management laws in place to protect providers and consumers utilizing telehealth systems and services; (4) identify outdated state policies and regulations that prevent the growth and use of telemedicine systems; (5) issue recommendations regarding how to improve state security policies concerning the use of telemedicine systems by providers and patients; and (6) issue recommendations concerning policies that may need to be changed or updated in order to promote the secure use and expansion of telemedicine services in Massachusetts.

The commission shall consist of the chairs of the joint committee on economic development and emerging technologies or designees, who shall serve as the co chairs; the speaker of the house of representatives or a designee; the president of the senate or a designee; the house minority leader or a designee; the senate minority leader or a designee; the chairs of the joint committee on public health or designees; the chair of the house committee on technology and intergovernmental affairs or a designee; the executive director of the Massachusetts health policy commission or a designee; and the secretary of the executive office of health and human services or a designee.

The commission shall submit a final report with its findings regarding the security policies governing telemedicine systems, along with any recommendations regarding how to establish a strong security framework governing telemedicine and update policies to allow for its expansion, to the house and senate clerks, the chairs of the joint committee on economic development and emerging technologies, and the chairs of the joint committee on public health, by December 31, 2021.