Telemedicine took off in N.J. during the pandemic but Murphy just pumped the brakes on it
Gov. Phil Murphy has rejected a bill that would have reimbursed doctors and other medical providers in New Jersey the same rate for telehealth services as they charge for in-person appointments, saying the cost may be too steep for taxpayers and may limit opportunities for patients who prefer office visits.
The Democratic governor on Monday conditionally vetoed the legislation, which means he won’t support it unless the lawmakers adopt his recommended changes. Murphy called for maintaining higher reimbursement rates until 2023, after the state Health Department has studied its usage and determined patients are getting the kind of care they need and costs are reasonable.
Telehealth became a widely used vehicle for people to maintain their connections to their doctors and mental health therapists in the first year of the coronavirus pandemic, when people were ordered to stay home as much as possible. The state Department of Banking and Insurance issued a bulletin that required insurance carriers reimburse telehealth visits at the same rate as office visits. That order remains in effect and expires on Jan. 11, 2022.
The bill as written would permanently require telehealth “pay parity” for health care services covered by a carrier offering a health benefits plan in New Jersey, the NJ FamilyCare/Medicaid program, the State Health Benefits and School Employee Health Benefits Programs. The parity rate would not apply to audio-only services, such as telephone calls without a visual component, such as FaceTime.
Read more: https://www.nj.com/coronavirus/2021/11/telemedicine-took-off-in-nj-during-the-pandemic-but-murphy-just-pumped-the-brakes-on-it.html
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