S E N A T E A M E N D M E N T

   AMENDMENT NO. _____

310896031496000/AM

CREATEDATE \@ "MMMM d, yyyy" \* MERGEFORMAT April 16, 2026

ADOPTED		TABLED	CARRIED OVER	FAILED	RECONSIDERED

Clerk of the Senate

   ADOPTION NO. _____

BILL NO: H.5126  (Reference is to Printer's Date 04/21/26-S.)

04572000 

 Senator JOHNSON proposes the following amendment (AM TELEMEDICINE NETWORK):

 Amend the bill, as and if amended, Part IB, Section 117, GENERAL PROVISIONS, pages 549-550, proviso 117.112, by amending the proviso to read:

/ 117.112. (GP: South Carolina Telemedicine Network) (A) From the funds appropriated to the Medical University of South Carolina for the MUSC Hospital Authority for Telemedicine and the funds appropriated and authorized for the Department of Health and Human Services, the agencies must continue the development of the South Carolina Statewide Telemedicine Network. As part of the statewide telemedicine network, a physician licensed to practice medicine and is in good standing in South Carolina and who primarily practices at a site physically located in this State or in a state contiguous to South Carolina and who is employed by a hospital or integrated healthcare system that owns hospitals licensed in this State or in a state contiguous to South Carolina that also employs physicians who primarily practice at a site physically located in this State shall be deemed to be practicing medicine within the geographic boundaries of South Carolina for the purposes of supervising physicians assistants and entering practice agreements with nurse practitioners, certified nurse midwives, and clinical nurse specialists who are located in South Carolina; provided, however, that any such physician receives prior approval from the Board of Medical Examiners before such supervision. The South Carolina Telehealth Alliance shall submit a proposal to the MUSC Hospital Authority and the Department of Health and Human Services to determine which hospitals, clinics, schools or other entities are best suited for Telemedicine partnerships.

 (A)(B) The Department of Health and Human Services shall develop or continue a program to leverage the use of teaching hospitals to provide rural physician coverage by expanding the use of Telemedicine, to include new applications such as School Based Telehealth, and Tele ICU. The department shall also amend its policy related to reimbursement for telemedicine to add Act 301 Behavioral Health Centers as a referring site for covered telemedicine services.

 (B)(C) During the current fiscal year the Department of Health and Human Services shall contract with the MUSC Hospital Authority in the amount of $5,000,000 to lead the development and operation of a statewide, open access South Carolina Telemedicine Network. At the request of the department, MUSC shall provide the department with all information and materials necessary to seek federal medical assistance for this contract. The MUSC Hospital Authority shall contract with each Regional Support Hub to ensure funding and support of strategic plans submitted by the Regional Support Hubs and approved by both the MUSC Hospital Authority and the Department of Health and Human Services. Institutions and other entities participating in the network must be afforded the opportunity to meaningfully participate in the development of any annual refining to the initiative's strategic plan. Working with the department, the MUSC Hospital Authority shall collaborate with Palmetto Care Connections to pursue this goal. No less than $1,000,000 of these funds shall be allocated toward support of Palmetto Care Connections and other hospitals in South Carolina. The MUSC Hospital Authority must provide the department with quarterly reports regarding the funds allocation and progress of telemedicine transformation efforts and networks. These reports must include an itemization of the ultimate recipients of these funds, whether vendors, grantees, specific participating institutions, or the Medical University of South Carolina, and must distinguish between funds allocation to the university as a participating institution as opposed to those retained and used by the university in its capacity as the administering entity for the network.

 (C)(D) The Department of Health and Human Services shall continue to identify and implement telehealth benefits and policies that are evidence based, cost efficient, and aligned with the needs of the Medicaid population. The department must also continue to review the temporary telephonic and telehealth flexibilities it has adopted to address the COVID 19 public health emergency and make permanent those that are suitable for inclusion in the Medicaid benefit. No later than October 1, the department shall submit a report to the Governor, the Chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, and the Chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee on policy and benefit changes it has introduced in the furtherance of this goal and as part of its ongoing effort to improve the sustainability of telehealth services.

 Renumber sections to conform.

 Amend sections, totals and title to conform.