§ 4306-g. Telehealth delivery of services. * (a) (1) A corporation shall not exclude from coverage a service that is otherwise covered under a contract that provides comprehensive coverage for hospital, medical or surgical care because the service is delivered via telehealth, as that term is defined in subsection (b) of this section; provided, however, that a corporation may exclude from coverage a service by a health care provider where the provider is not otherwise covered under the contract. A corporation may subject the coverage of a service delivered via telehealth to co-payments, coinsurance or deductibles provided that they are at least as favorable to the insured as those established for the same service when not delivered via telehealth. A corporation may subject the coverage of a service delivered via telehealth to reasonable utilization management and quality assurance requirements that are consistent with those established for the same service when not delivered via telehealth.

(2) A corporation that provides comprehensive coverage for hospital, medical or surgical care shall reimburse covered services delivered by means of telehealth on the same basis, at the same rate, and to the same extent that such services are reimbursed when delivered in person; provided that reimbursement of covered services delivered via telehealth shall not require reimbursement of costs not actually incurred in the provision of the telehealth services, including charges related to the use of a clinic or other facility when neither the originating site nor the distant site occur within the clinic or other facility. The superintendent may promulgate regulations to implement the provisions of this section.

(3) A corporation that provides comprehensive coverage for hospital, medical, or surgical care with a network of health care providers shall ensure that such network is adequate to meet the telehealth needs of insured individuals for services covered under the policy when medically appropriate.

* NB Effective until April 1, 2024

* (a) A corporation shall not exclude from coverage a service that is otherwise covered under a contract that provides comprehensive coverage for hospital, medical or surgical care because the service is delivered via telehealth, as that term is defined in subsection (b) of this section; provided, however, that a corporation may exclude from coverage a service by a health care provider where the provider is not otherwise covered under the contract. A corporation may subject the coverage of a service delivered via telehealth to co-payments, coinsurance or deductibles provided that they are at least as favorable to the insured as those established for the same service when not delivered via telehealth. A corporation may subject the coverage of a service delivered via telehealth to reasonable utilization management and quality assurance requirements that are consistent with those established for the same service when not delivered via telehealth.

* NB Effective April 1, 2024

(b) For purposes of this section, "telehealth" means the use of electronic information and communication technologies by a health care provider to deliver health care services to an insured individual while such individual is located at a site that is different from the site where the health care provider is located.