The following is a list of pending legislative activities for telehealth and telemedicine within the South Central region (AR, MS and TN). Very special thanks go out to the Center for Connected Health Policy, which publishes this information for all 50 states at http://telehealthpolicy.us/state-laws-and-reimbursement-policies .
PENDING LEGISLATION
Mississippi: |
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| Bill # | Status | Summary |
| HB 578 | 1/22/14: Introduced and referred to House Committee on Insurance. | Store & forward telemedicine services; health insurance plans must provide coverage to same extent as in-person services. This bill would require health insurance plans to provide coverage and reimbursement for store and forward telemedicine services and remote patient monitoring services to the same extent as they would reimburse for in person services. The bill also defines “store and forward telemedicine services” and “remote patient monitoring services.” A health insurance plan is defined as including health benefit plans offered by health insurers, state and school employee health insurance plans and any other public health care assistance programs. |
| SB 2646 | 1/29/14: From Senate Committee on Insurance. Passed with recommended substitute. | Coverage for telemedicine services; define “store-and-forward” and “remote patient monitoring.” This bill would require health insurance plans to provide coverage and reimbursement for store and forward telemedicine services and remote patient monitoring services. Store and forward would be required to be covered to the same extent as they would reimburse for in person services, subject to certain criteria (see bill text). The bill also defines “store and forward telemedicine services” and “remote patient monitoring services.” A health insurance plan is defined as including health benefit plans offered by health insurers, state and school employee health insurance plans and any other public health care assistance programs. |
Tennessee: |
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| Bill # | Status | Summary |
| SB 484 | 3/27/13: Assigned to Senate Committee on Commerce & Labor | Insurance, Health & Accident Requires health insurance policies to cover telemedicine services. (similar to TN HB 923) |
| HB 923 | 4/20/13: Taken off Notice in Senate Committee on Insurance & Banking | Insurance, Health, & Accident Coverage Requires reimbursement by health insurance policies of telemedicine (similar to TN SB 484) |
| HB 1895 | 1/22/14: Introduced | Relative to telehealth This bill would define telehealth, and require a health insurance carrier to provide coverage under a health insurance policy for covered health care services delivered through telehealth, to the same extent as policies that the benefit plan permits for in-person encounters. A health insurance carrier includes (among others) managed care organizations participating in the medical assistance program. |
| SB 2050 | 1/23/14: Introduced | Relative to telehealth This bill requires a health insurance carrier to reimburse for services provided through telehealth. A health insurance carrier includes (among others) managed care organizations participating in the medical assistance program. |
