Telemedicine bill advances through House committee

State Senate Bill 780, the telemedicine bill, recently advanced through the House Professional Licensure Committee.

The bill, introduced by Sen. Elder Vogel Jr. (R-Beaver), would require insurance companies to cover telemedicine services the same as services delivered in person. It also would define telemedicine and provide consumer protections.

“Pennsylvania’s hospitals and providers have been using telemedicine to provide high-quality primary and specialty services to individuals and families across the commonwealth for years,” Andy Carter, president and CEO of The Hospital and Healthsystem Association of Pennsylvania (HAP), said. “This is not a new type of medicine; rather, it is a way to help patients receive care in the comfort of their own home, to expand access to care in rural and urban areas, and help relieve some of the clinical specialty shortages that Pennsylvania faces.”

Following the vote, HAP, the Pennsylvania School Boards Association, AARP-PA and 20 health care organizations sent a joint letter to members of the House of Representatives. The letter listed the benefits of telemedicine and urged the representatives to pass the bill.

The bill was unanimously approved by two Senate committees and the full Senate. It will now be brought before the full House floor for further consideration.

The District of Columbia and 38 states have passed similar legislation.