HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 2353        FILED ON: 1/19/2017

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 2156

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_________________

PRESENTED BY:

Ruth B. Balser

_________________

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 telemedicine.

_______________

PETITION OF:

 

Name:

District/Address:

Date Added:

Ruth B. Balser

12th Middlesex

1/19/2017

Mathew Muratore

1st Plymouth

11/3/2017

Aaron Vega

5th Hampden

11/3/2017

Marjorie C. Decker

25th Middlesex

11/3/2017

Kenneth I. Gordon

21st Middlesex

11/3/2017

Michelle M. DuBois

10th Plymouth

11/3/2017

Carmine L. Gentile

13th Middlesex

11/3/2017

Bruce E. Tarr

First Essex and Middlesex

11/3/2017

Tricia Farley-Bouvier

3rd Berkshire

11/3/2017

Carlos González

10th Hampden

11/3/2017

John H. Rogers

12th Norfolk

11/3/2017


HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 2353        FILED ON: 1/19/2017

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 2156

By Ms. Balser of Newton, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 2156) of Ruth B. Balser and others for legislation to ensure that telehealth services are utilized to increase access to behavioral health services.  Financial Services.

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

 

_______________

In the One Hundred and Ninetieth General Court
(2017-2018)

_______________

 

An Act relative to telemedicine.

 

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 176B of the General Laws  as appearing in the 2014 Official Edition is hereby amended by adding at the end thereof the following new section:-

Section 25.(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) A non profit medical service plan may limit coverage of telemedicine services to those health care providers in a telemedicine network approved by the non profit medical service plan.

(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.