New Federal Legislation Could Streamline Telehealth By Permitting Licensure Portability Across State Lines

United States Senator Tom Udall of New Mexico is preparing to introduce legislation during the spring of 2012 that will make state medical licensure portable; the goal is to support the use of telehealth by eliminating state licensure barriers. Currently only 10 state medical boards issue a specialized license or certificate permitting a physician to practice medicine across state lines via telehealth technologies. However, 49 state boards, plus the District of Columbia, require that the physician providing telehealth care be licensed in the state where the patient is located. The Department of Defense (DoD) recently adopted new policies on telehealth . . .