Alaska House concurs on health care and telehealth bill

The Alaska House concurred Wednesday in Senate changes to a health care and telehealth bill. The vote sends the measure to the governor.

House Bill 14 expands insurance coverage requirements for telehealth services. It requires health insurers to cover telehealth visits at the same rate as in-person visits. The bill also allows Alaska-licensed providers to deliver care remotely to patients anywhere in the state.

The measure repeals two existing state programs. The Catastrophic Illness Assistance Program helped Alaskans facing high medical costs from serious illness. The Chronic and Acute Medical Assistance Program provided help for ongoing and immediate medical conditions. Both programs had operated under the Department of Health.

The bill also removes geographic restrictions on where telehealth can be used. Current law limited reimbursement for telehealth to certain rural areas. The new language would allow telehealth across all regions.

The Senate added an immediate effective date to the House version. That change required the House to vote again on the amended bill. The House approved the Senate changes without debate.

The bill now goes to the governor for signature or veto.