Staff Analysis of the Legislation
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Senate Bill 118 modernizes the 'Georgia Telemedicine Act' by renaming it to the 'Georgia Telehealth Act'. The bill requires that each insurer that issues a health benefit policy provides coverage for the cost of healthcare services provided through telehealth or telemedicine services. The bill requires that insurers not exclude a service for coverage solely because the service is provided through telemedicine services and is not provided through in-person consultation or contact between a provider and a patient for services appropriately provided through telemedicine services. A health care provider or telemedicine company is not required to accept more reimbursement than they are willing to charge and payment for telemedicine interactions will include reasonable compensation to the originating or distant site for the transmission cost incurred during the delivery of healthcare services. Senate Bill 118 also requires insurers to reimburse the provider for the diagnosis, consultation, or treatment of the insured delivered through telemedicine services on the same basis and at least at the rate that the insurer is responsible for coverage for the provision of the same service through inperson consultation or contact. |
