State Legislation


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The following states have passed legislation mandating private payer reimbursement of telemedicine services:

Louisiana SB 773 (1995)
California SB 1665 (1996)
Oklahoma SB 48 (1997)
Texas HB 2033 (1997)
Kentucky HB 177 (2000)

Samples of telemedicine reimbursement legislation

California
The act prohibits health insurers from requiring face-to-face contact between a health care provider and patient for services appropriately provided through telemedicine, subject to the terms of the contract.

Kentucky
Prohibits Medicaid and private insurers from excluding services from coverage soley because the service was provided through telehealth.

Oklahoma
Provides that health care plans cannot deny coverage for health care services provided through audio, video or data communications. This would allow, for example, compensation for patient consultations, diagnoses, and the transfer of medical data throught telecommunications technology. The measure excludes telephone and facsimile communications from the term telemedicine.

Texas
Prohibits certain health benefit plans from excluding a medical service solely because the service is provided through telemedicine. Telemedicine servcies may be subject to deductible, copayment or coinsurance requirements not to exceed requirement for the same face-to-face services.