MUNI CD-TELEHEALTH SERVICES

104th Regular Session Introduced by Barbara Hernandez

Illinois municipalities would gain authority to contract with private telehealth and text-based health care providers to offer remote medical services to residents starting Jan 1,

Referred to Rules Committee

Summary of HB5772 (104th General Assembly, Illinois)

Purpose and intent

Establishes a new division within the Illinois Municipal Code to authorize municipalities to contract with private companies that offer telehealth-related services, including text-a-physician options and other text-based health care services.

The bill defines key terms and sets an effective date of January 1, 2027.

Key provisions and changes

Adds Division 29.4 to the Illinois Municipal Code (65 ILCS 5), titled: Text-a-Physician and Other Telehealth Services.

Definitions (Section 11-29.4-1):

“Physician”: Any person licensed to practice medicine in all its branches under the Medical Practice Act of 1987.
“Telehealth”: The evaluation, diagnosis, or interpretation of patient-specific data transmitted via an interactive telecommunication system between a remote location and a physician at a distant site, generating interaction or treatment recommendations for the patient at the remote location.
“Text-based health care services”: An asynchronous program enabling residents of a municipality to connect with licensed state medical professionals (including physicians) via text messages to obtain medical answers, guidance on medical issues, physician notes for work/school, and, if necessary, prescriptions for routine medications. This includes programs that provide text-a-physician services.

Municipal authority (Section 11-29.4-1):

A municipality may enter into contractual agreements with a company that offers telehealth services, text-a-physician services, or other text-based health care services.

Who would be affected

Municipal governments in Illinois would gain explicit statutory authority to contract with private telehealth/text-based health care providers.

Residents of municipalities could have access to text-a-physician services and telehealth options as offered under contract, subject to the terms of the municipal contract and the service provider.

Procedural and timeline aspects

Effective date: January 1, 2027.

Action history indicates introduction and referral to Rules Committee on May 12, 2026, with sponsor Barbara Hernandez (co-sponsor).

Practical implications and considerations

Expands municipal options for digital health access, potentially reducing in-person visit needs for routine or guidance-based care.

Relies on private vendors to deliver telehealth and text-based services, with municipalities structuring contracts (scope, pricing, data privacy, credentialing, and patient safeguards) accordingly.

The bill does not specify funding mechanisms, regulatory oversight specifics beyond the definitions, or detailed consumer protections beyond defining “physician” and the service types.

This summary provides the bill’s core aims, the main provisions, who is affected, and when it would take effect, enabling readers to understand the scope and potential impact of HB5772.