20-1406.05. Telemedicine; coverage of health care services; definition

(L19, Ch. 111, sec. 4. Eff. 1/1/21)

A. All policies issued, delivered or renewed by a group disability insurer or a blanket disability insurer on or after January 1, 2018 must provide coverage for health care services that are provided through telemedicine if the health care service would be covered were it provided through in-person consultation between the insured and a health care provider and provided to an insured receiving the service in this state. A blanket disability insurer may not limit or deny the coverage of health care services provided through telemedicine and may apply only the same limits or exclusions on a health care service provided through telemedicine that are applicable to an in-person consultation for the same health care service. The policy may limit the coverage to those health care providers who are members of the insurer's provider network.

B. This section does not prevent a group or blanket disability insurer from imposing deductibles, copayment or coinsurance requirements for a health care service provided through telemedicine if the deductible, copayment or coinsurance does not exceed the deductible, copayment or coinsurance applicable to an in-person consultation for the same health care service.

C. Services provided through telemedicine or resulting from a telemedicine consultation are subject to all of this state's laws and rules that govern prescribing, dispensing and administering prescription pharmaceuticals and devices and shall comply with Arizona licensure requirements and any practice guidelines of a national association of medical professionals promoting access to medical care for consumers via telecommunications technology or other qualified medical professional societies to ensure quality of care.

D. This section does not apply to limited benefit coverage as defined in section 20-1137.

E. For the purposes of this section, " telemedicine" :

1. Means the interactive use of audio, video or other electronic media, including asynchronous store-and-forward technologies and remote patient monitoring technologies, for the purpose of diagnosis, consultation or treatment.

2. Does not include the sole use of an audio-only telephone, a video-only system, a facsimile machine, instant messages or electronic mail.