Section 08.02.130 - [Effective 7/1/2025] Telehealth(a) A health care provider licensed in this state may provide health care services within the health care provider's authorized scope of practice to a patient in this state through telehealth without first conducting an inperson visit.(b) A physician licensed in another state or an out-of-state member of the physician's multidisciplinary care team may provide health care services through telehealth to a patient located in the state as provided in this subsection, subject to the investigative and enforcement powers of the department under AS 08.01.087. A member of a physician's multidisciplinary care team may provide a health care service through telehealth to a patient located in this state if the health care service, as provided by the multidisciplinary care team, is not reasonably available in the state. A physician shall be subject to disciplinary action by the State Medical Board under AS 08.64.333, and a member of the physician's multidisciplinary care team shall be subject to disciplinary action by the department under AS 08.02.140. The privilege to practice under this subsection extends only to (1) ongoing treatment or follow-up care related to health care services previously provided by the physician to the patient and applies only if (A) the physician and the patient have an established physician-patient relationship; and(B) the physician has previously conducted an in-person visit with the patient; (2) a visit regarding a suspected or diagnosed life-threatening condition for which (A) the patient has been referred to the physician licensed in another state by a physician licensed in this state and that referral has been documented by the referring physician; and(B) the visit involves communication with the patient regarding diagnostic or treatment plan options or analysis of test results for the life-threatening condition; or(3) ongoing treatment or follow-up care provided by a physician licensed in another state or a member of the physician's multidisciplinary care team regarding a suspected or diagnosed life-threatening condition.(c) If a health care provider determines in the course of a telehealth encounter with a patient under this section that some or all of the encounter will extend beyond the health care provider's authorized scope of practice, the health care provider shall advise the patient that the health care provider is not authorized to provide some or all of the services to the patient, recommend that the patient contact an appropriate provider for the services the health care provider is not authorized to provide, and limit the encounter to only those services the health care provider is authorized to provide. The health care provider may not charge for any portion of an encounter that extends beyond the health care provider's authorized scope of practice.(d) A fee for a service provided through telehealth under this section must be reasonable and consistent with the ordinary fee typically charged for that service and may not exceed the fee typically charged for that service.(e) A physician, podiatrist, osteopath, or physician assistant licensed under AS 08.64 may prescribe, dispense, or administer through telehealth under this section a prescription for a controlled substance listed in AS 11.71.140 - 11.71.190 if the physician, podiatrist, osteopath, or physician assistant complies with state and federal law governing the prescription, dispensing, or administering of a controlled substance.(f) An advanced practice registered nurse licensed under AS 08.68 may prescribe, dispense, or administer through telehealth under this section a prescription for a controlled substance listed in AS 11.71.140 - 11.71.190 if the advanced practice registered nurse complies with state and federal law governing the prescription, dispensing, or administering of a controlled substance.(g) Except as authorized under (e) and (f) of this section, a health care provider licensed under this title may not prescribe, dispense, or administer through telehealth under this section a controlled substance listed in AS 11.71.140 - 11.71.190.(h) A health care provider may not be required to document a barrier to an inperson visit to provide health care services through telehealth. The department or a board may not limit the physical setting from which a health care provider may provide health care services through telehealth.(i) Nothing in this section requires the use of telehealth when a health care provider determines that providing health care services through telehealth is not appropriate or when a patient chooses not to receive health care services through telehealth.(j) In this section,(1) "health care provider" means(A) an audiologist or speech-language pathologist licensed under AS 08.11; a behavior analyst licensed under AS 08.15; a chiropractor licensed under AS 08.20; a professional or associate counselor licensed under AS 08.29; a dental hygienist licensed under AS 08.32; a dentist licensed under AS 08.36; a dietitian or nutritionist licensed under AS 08.38; a naturopath licensed under AS 08.45; a marital and family therapist licensed under AS 08.63; a physician licensed under AS 08.64; a podiatrist, osteopath, or physician assistant licensed under AS 08.64; a direct-entry midwife certified under AS 08.65; a nurse licensed under AS 08.68; a dispensing optician licensed under AS 08.71; an optometrist licensed under AS 08.72; a pharmacist licensed under AS 08.80; a physical therapist or occupational therapist licensed under AS 08.84; a psychologist or psychological associate licensed under AS 08.86; or a social worker licensed under AS 08.95; or(B) a physician licensed in another state; or(C) a member of a multidisciplinary care team who is licensed in another state;(2) "licensed" means holding a current license in good standing;(3) "life-threatening condition" means any disease or condition from which the likelihood of death is probable unless the course of the disease or condition is interrupted;(4) "telehealth" has the meaning given in AS 47.05.270 (e).(5) "member of a multidisciplinary care team" means an audiologist, speech-language pathologist, behavior analyst, professional counselor, dietitian, nutritionist, naturopath, marital and family therapist, podiatrist, osteopath, physician assistant, nurse, pharmacist, physical therapist, occupational therapist, psychologist or psychological associate, advanced nurse practitioner, or social worker who is a member of a team coordinated by a physician licensed in another state who meets the requirements of (b)(3) of this section.Amended by SLA 2024, ch. 44,sec. 2, eff. 7/1/2025.Amended by SLA 2024, ch. 13,sec. 3, eff. 10/16/2024.Amended by SLA 2024, ch. 13,sec. 2, eff. 10/16/2024.Amended by SLA 2024, ch. 13,sec. 1, eff. 10/16/2024.Added by SLA 2022, ch. 38,sec. 1, eff. 7/13/2022.This section is set out more than once due to postponed, multiple, or conflicting amendments.