Pennsylvania House of Representatives passes long-awaited measure requiring insurance for telemedicine services

Health insurance providers would have to cover the costs of telemedicine services under a bill that passed the Pennsylvania House of Representatives with bipartisan support on Wednesday.

House of Representatives Bill No. 1512 Introduced by state Rep. Christine Sappey (D-Chester), the bill was approved nearly four years after a state Senate version of the bill passed both chambers at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Governor Tom Wolf vetoed the billHowever, in April 2020, concerns were raised about an amendment restricting the prescribing of abortifacient drugs during teleconsultations.

As the pandemic has forced lockdowns into the daily lives of people around the world, telemedicine has become an vital part of health care, Sappey said Wednesday during a House of Representatives hearing.

“I personally don’t believe telemedicine will ever replace in-person care, but it certainly increases the ability of patients to keep their doctor’s appointments,” Sappey said. “And there are clearly times when telehealth is appropriate, more convenient, or even the only option at a given time, especially for the disabled community.”

Sappey said the bill does not regulate health care providers but requires insurance companies to pay for telemedicine services if the same treatment would be covered in an in-person setting.

“Health care workers do their jobs and provide care in appropriate settings,” Sappey said before the bill passed by a vote of 197 to 3.

HB 1512 will now go to the state Senate for a vote.

The proposal has been a bipartisan priority for years because supporters say it would expand rural residents’ access to doctors and therapists, and the COVID-19 pandemic has only intensified advocates’ efforts.

Abortion opponents held off on the bill for years until a version of the bill passed in 2020 by a vote of 111 to 77, placing restrictions on the prescription of abortifacient drugs used by abortion facilities like Planned Parenthood.

The version of the bill that the Democratic-majority House of Representatives passed on Wednesday does not include restrictions on access to abortion care.

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