Bill > S846

Introduced Session

This bill revises the telemedicine and telehealth law, P.L.2017, c.117 (C.45:1-61 et al.), to require health benefits plans, Medicaid and NJ FamilyCare, and the State Health Benefits Program (SHBP) and School Employees' Health Benefits Program (SEHBP), to provide expanded coverage for services provided using telemedicine and telehealth. Specifically, the bill requires that reimbursement for telemedicine and telehealth services be equal to the reimbursement rate for the same services when they are provided in person. Current law provides telemedicine and telehealth services may be reimbursed up to the amount at which the service would be reimbursed if provided in person. The bill also prohibits health benefits plans, Medicaid and NJ FamilyCare, and the SHBP and SEHBP from imposing "place of service" requirements on services provided using telemedicine and telehealth, and expressly allows health care providers to provide services using telemedicine and telehealth regardless of whether the provider is located in New Jersey when providing services, provided that the provider is otherwise licensed to practice health care in New Jersey. The bill prohibits health benefits plans, Medicaid and NJ FamilyCare, and the SHBP and SEHBP from placing restrictions on the electronic or technological platform used to provide telemedicine and telehealth, if the services provided when using that platform would meet the in-person standard of care for that service, and if the platform is otherwise compliant with the requirements of the federal health privacy rule set forth at 45 CFR Parts 160 and 164. The bill requires telemedicine and telehealth systems to include accessible communication features to facilitate the use of telemedicine and telehealth by individuals with a disability and individuals with a sensory impairment, including, but not limited to, individuals who are deaf, hard of hearing, visually impaired, blind, or deaf-blind. This bill implements a recommendation included in the initial report of the New Jersey COVID-19 Disability Action Committee, issued in Fall 2020.

Committee Categories

Kristin Corrado (R)*,  Nellie Pou (D)*, 

Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens Committee (on 01/18/2022)

Official Document