This bill amends New Jersey's existing laws regarding reimbursement payments for healthcare services delivered through telemedicine and telehealth. It mandates that health carriers, including those under managed care plans, the State Health Benefits Commission, the School Employees Health Benefits Commission, and programs like Medicare and NJ FamilyCare, must provide coverage and payment for these services at a reimbursement rate equal to that of in-person consultations. This represents a significant change from current law, which only stipulates that reimbursement for telehealth services cannot exceed the rate for in-person services. The bill also clarifies that these reimbursement requirements do not apply to telemedicine or telehealth services that are not provided on an in-person basis in New Jersey.

Additionally, the bill prohibits health carriers and state programs from imposing certain restrictions, such as limiting coverage to specific providers or charging higher deductibles or copayments for telehealth services compared to in-person consultations. It allows providers to use various electronic platforms for delivering services, including audio-only conversations, as long as they meet the same standard of care as in-person services. Coverage can only be denied for services deemed medically unnecessary, and the bill does not mandate the use of telemedicine or telehealth over in-person services. The School Employees' Health Benefits Commission is responsible for adopting necessary rules and regulations to implement these provisions, and the act is set to take effect immediately for reimbursement requests made after its enactment.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 26:2S-29, 30:4D-6, 52:14-17.29, 52:14-17.46.6