Out-of-State Telehealth Providers FAQ's
SB24-141: Out-of-State Telehealth Providers FAQ's
Information on What is Telehealth and SB24-141
Q: What is SB24-141: Out of State Telehealth Providers?
A: SB24-141 allows a health-care provider who possesses an out-of-state credential, and is not otherwise registered or physically located to practice in Colorado, to provide health-care services through telehealth to patients located in Colorado if the applicant obtains a Colorado telehealth registration.
Q: What constitutes “telehealth” under this bill?
A: In this bill, “telehealth” is defined as “the delivery of medical services through technologies that are used in a manner that is compliant with the federal “Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996”. This includes: information, electronic and communication technologies, remote monitoring technologies, and store-and-forward transfers. In a telehealth setting, these technologies will be used to facilitate the assessment, diagnosis, consultation, or treatment of a patient.
Information on Who Needs to Register With the Division
Q: Who needs to register with DORA to provide telehealth patients to patients located in Colorado?
A: Beginning January 1, 2026, telehealth registrations will be available to: Mental Health Providers, Audiologists, Dentists, Direct-Entry Midwives, Hearing Aid Providers, Physicians and Physician Assistants, Nursing licensees, Occupational Therapists and Assistants, Pharmacists, Physical Therapists and Assistants, Podiatrists, Respiratory Therapists, Veterinarians and Veterinary technicians.
Licensure requirements are determined by the physical location of the patient at the time that services are rendered. Therefore, if the patient is located in Colorado at the time that you treat them, regardless of where you are located, and you do not qualify for any exemptions that may be allowed within your specific practice act, you need a Colorado credential or registration (which may be either a regular credential or telehealth registration).
Q: If I have a Colorado license, certification or registration, do I also need a telehealth registration to provide telehealth services?
A: No. Your Colorado license, certification or registration allows you to provide services to Colorado residents either in person or via telehealth, subject to your applicable practice act. Only providers who do not hold a Colorado license, certification or registration are eligible for a telehealth registration.
Information on the Requirements Needed for Registration
Q: What does an out-of-state provider need to provide to DORA in order to register to provide telehealth services?
A: To register with DORA to provide telehealth services to Colorado residents, an out-of-state provider must:
- Submit an application and pay the applicable fees.
- Have a valid credential from another state in the profession in which they plan to apply for a telehealth registration.
- Have not been subject to any disciplinary action in another state in the five year period preceding their telehealth application.
- Demonstrate passage of a jurisprudence examination if said passage was required for substantially similar credentialing as a licensee in this state.
- Disclose any restrictions placed on their out-of-state credential; any disciplinary action; or any final judgment against, settlement entered into, or arbitration paid on behalf of the provider for malpractice.
Q: What disclosures are out-of-state providers required to make to their patients?
A. An out-of-state provider must disclose to the patient where they are located, and that the provider does not have a physical location in Colorado.
Q: What happens if a patient experiences an emergency while receiving services from a telehealth provider?
A. Registered telehealth providers are required to provide the patient with guidance on appropriate follow-up care.
If an emergency occurs during telehealth services, the provider must:
- Directly contact and coordinate with emergency services.
- If the urgent, emergent, or emergency situation is related to the patient's mental health or a substance use condition, facilitate contact with the appropriate local mental and behavioral health services to include local crisis services.
- Remain on a synchronous connection with the patient, and wait until emergency services have reached the patient or until the situation is resolved.
Telehealth providers must maintain a written emergency protocol for emergency situations that includes good faith methods of:
- Providing the name and location of the patient to emergency services in oral, written, or digital form;
- Determining the patient’s location if a patient is unaware of the location; and
- Providing the contact information of the patient to emergency services.
Providers must also maintain a current list of hospitals, urgent care centers or clinics, and crisis providers, such as crisis stabilization units, crisis walk-in centers, mobile crisis response services, and withdrawal management facilities, in the area where the patient resides.
Information on What a Registrant is Authorized/Not Authorized For
Q: May out of state providers who have a telehealth registration prescribe medications?
A: Yes. A telehealth provider may prescribe medication in accordance with their Colorado practice act, however, they may not prescribe controlled substances.
Q. Can a registered out-of- state telehealth provider open an office in Colorado?
A. No. Out-of-state providers are prohibited from providing in-person services to patients located in this state. If an out-of-state provider wishes to provide services in Colorado, they must meet the full endorsement (or original/exam) requirements for their profession and obtain a non-telehealth specific Colorado credential.