Allows advanced practice registered nurses, physician assistants, and physicians who are and are not licensed in Rhode Island to provide telemedicine services to patients who are in the state when those services are rendered.

Rhode Island Telemedicine Expansion Bill

This bill would expand access to telemedicine services for Rhode Island residents by allowing a broader range of healthcare providers to treat patients remotely. Specifically, it would permit advanced practice registered nurses (such as nurse practitioners), physician assistants, and physicians to provide care via telemedicine to patients who are physically located in Rhode Island at the time of the appointment — even if those healthcare providers are not licensed in Rhode Island.

The most notable aspect of this bill is that it would allow out-of-state healthcare professionals to treat Rhode Island patients through telemedicine without first obtaining a Rhode Island license. This means a patient in Rhode Island could connect with a qualified nurse practitioner, physician assistant, or doctor practicing from another state and receive care that would be legally recognized under Rhode Island law.

This bill primarily affects Rhode Island residents seeking medical care, particularly those in areas where local providers may be hard to find or who have difficulty accessing in-person appointments. It could be especially beneficial for people in rural parts of the state, those with limited mobility, or anyone who struggles to find a local specialist. Healthcare providers located outside Rhode Island who wish to serve Rhode Island patients remotely would also be directly affected.

The bill has been introduced and referred to the House Health & Human Services Committee, where it will be reviewed before any further legislative action is taken.