The bill amends section 3902.30 of the Revised Code to mandate that private insurers provide coverage for telehealth services related to mental health on the same terms as in-person mental health services. It specifies that coverage must include outpatient mental health services, which encompass preventative, diagnostic, therapeutic, rehabilitative, and palliative interventions delivered by a mental health professional. Additionally, the bill prohibits health benefit plans from excluding telehealth services solely based on their delivery method and ensures that reimbursement for telehealth services aligns with that of in-person services.

Furthermore, the bill establishes that health benefit plans cannot impose cost-sharing requirements for telehealth services that exceed those for comparable in-person services. It also outlines specific conditions under which cost-sharing may be waived for communications initiated by healthcare professionals for preventive health care services. The bill clarifies that it does not require health plan issuers to reimburse telehealth providers at the same rate as in-person services or cover asynchronous communications differently from existing health benefit plans. The superintendent of insurance is authorized to adopt necessary rules to implement these requirements.

Statutes affected:
As Introduced: 3902.30