Telehealth services may soon be significantly expanded in New Hampshire, following the passage of a new bill last week in the state Senate. Senate Bill 138, agreed to by a 17-5 vote, states that insurance companies must now reimburse healthcare providers for telemedicine visits, eliminating a rule that had stipulated that only in-person visits were eligible for reimbursement.
Advocates of telemedicine praised the measure. For New Hampshire, a state with a high rural population, telemedicine holds real possibilities, both in terms of increased access to quality care and in terms of reduced overall healthcare costs. As state Senator Debbie Reynolds (D-Plymouth) noted, patients will have increased “access to specialty care that would reduce the severity of diseases.”
However, complications remain. State Senator Kathy Sgambati (D-Tilton) explained that among providers, there is “confusion on how to bill” for telehealth services. Others are concerned that insurance premiums will rise, while still others worry that there are not sufficient laws regulating telemedicine practitioners. But supporters of the bill remain optimistic about the future of telemedicine in New Hampshire, as well as the possibilities for patients. Said Reynolds, “This is vastly going to reduce the costs of health care and help with early detection.”
Senate Bill 138 now heads to the New Hampshire House of Representatives for a vote.
Click here for more information on this New Hampshire telehealth proposal.
