SENATE DOCKET, NO. 803        FILED ON: 1/15/2015

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 617

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_________________

PRESENTED BY:

Mark C. Montigny

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To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:

The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:

An Act Relative to Full Application of Telemedicine Coverage.

_______________

PETITION OF:

SENATE DOCKET, NO. 803        FILED ON: 1/15/2015

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 617

[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
SEE SENATE, NO. 530 OF 2013-2014.]

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_______________

In the One Hundred and Eighty-Ninth General Court
(2015-2016)

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An Act Relative to Full Application of Telemedicine Coverage.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
 

SECTION 1. Chapter 32A of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting after section 17J, the following section:—

Section 17K. (a) For the purposes of this section, “telemedicine“ as it pertains to the delivery of health care services, shall mean the use of interactive audio, video or other electronic media for the purpose of diagnosis, consultation or treatment. “Telemedicine” shall not include the use of audio-only telephone, facsimile machine or e-mail.

(b) An insurer may limit coverage of telemedicine services to those health care providers in a telemedicine network approved by the insurer.

(c) A contract that provides coverage for services under this section may contain a provision for a deductible, copayment or coinsurance requirement for a health care service provided through telemedicine as long as the deductible, copayment or coinsurance does not exceed the deductible, copayment or coinsurance applicable to an in-person consultation.

(d) Coverage for health care services under this section shall be consistent with coverage for health care services provided through in-person consultation.

SECTION 2. Chapter 118E of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting after section 10G the following section:—

Section 10H. (a) For the purposes of this section, “telemedicine“ as it pertains to the delivery of health care services, shall mean the use of interactive audio, video or other electronic media for the purpose of diagnosis, consultation or treatment. “Telemedicine” shall not include the use of audio-only telephone, facsimile machine or e-mail.

(b) MassHealth may limit coverage of telemedicine services to those health care providers in a telemedicine network approved by the MassHealth.

(c) A contract that provides coverage for services under this section may contain a provision for a deductible, copayment or coinsurance requirement for a health care service provided through telemedicine as long as the deductible, copayment or coinsurance does not exceed the deductible, copayment or coinsurance applicable to an in-person consultation.

(d) Coverage for health care services under this section shall be consistent with coverage for health care services provided through in-person consultation.

SECTION 3. Chapter 176A of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting after section 8EE the following section:—

Section 8FF. (a) For the purposes of this section, “telemedicine“ as it pertains to the delivery of health care services, shall mean the use of interactive audio, video or other electronic media for the purpose of diagnosis, consultation or treatment. “Telemedicine” shall not include the use of audio-only telephone, facsimile machine or e-mail.

(b) An insurer may limit coverage of telemedicine services to those health care providers in a telemedicine network approved by the insurer.

(c) A contract that provides coverage for services under this section may contain a provision for a deductible, copayment or coinsurance requirement for a health care service provided through telemedicine as long as the deductible, copayment or coinsurance does not exceed the deductible, copayment or coinsurance applicable to an in-person consultation.

(d) Coverage for health care services under this section shall be consistent with coverage for health care services provided through in-person consultation.

SECTION 4. Chapter 176B of the General Laws, is hereby amended by inserting after section 4EE the following section:—

Section 4FF. (a) For the purposes of this section, “telemedicine“ as it pertains to the delivery of health care services, shall mean the use of interactive audio, video or other electronic media for the purpose of diagnosis, consultation or treatment. “Telemedicine” shall not include the use of audio-only telephone, facsimile machine or e-mail.

(b) An insurer may limit coverage of telemedicine services to those health care providers in a telemedicine network approved by the insurer.

(c) A contract that provides coverage for services under this section may contain a provision for a deductible, copayment or coinsurance requirement for a health care service provided through telemedicine as long as the deductible, copayment or coinsurance does not exceed the deductible, copayment or coinsurance applicable to an in-person consultation.

(d) Coverage for health care services under this section shall be consistent with coverage for health care services provided through in-person consultation.

SECTION 5. Chapter 176G of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting after section 4W the following:—

Section 4X. (a) For the purposes of this section, “telemedicine“ as it pertains to the delivery of health care services, shall mean the use of interactive audio, video or other electronic media for the purpose of diagnosis, consultation or treatment. “Telemedicine” shall not include the use of audio-only telephone, facsimile machine or e-mail.

(b) An insurer may limit coverage of telemedicine services to those health care providers in a telemedicine network approved by the insurer.

(c) A contract that provides coverage for services under this section may contain a provision for a deductible, copayment or coinsurance requirement for a health care service provided through telemedicine as long as the deductible, copayment or coinsurance does not exceed the deductible, copayment or coinsurance applicable to an in-person consultation.

(d) Coverage for health care services under this section shall be consistent with coverage for health care services provided through in-person consultation.

SECTION 6. Chapter 176I of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting after section 12 the following new section:—

Section 13. (a) For the purposes of this section, “telemedicine“ as it pertains to the delivery of health care services, shall mean the use of interactive audio, video or other electronic media for the purpose of diagnosis, consultation or treatment. “Telemedicine” shall not include the use of audio-only telephone, facsimile machine or e-mail.

(b) An insurer may limit coverage of telemedicine services to those health care providers in a telemedicine network approved by the insurer.

(c) A contract that provides coverage for services under this section may contain a provision for a deductible, copayment or coinsurance requirement for a health care service provided through telemedicine as long as the deductible, copayment or coinsurance does not exceed the deductible, copayment or coinsurance applicable to an in-person consultation.

(d) Coverage for health care services under this section shall be consistent with coverage for health care services provided through in-person consultation.