52:14-17.29w State Health Benefits Commission to provide coverage, payment.

9. a. The State Health Benefits Commission shall ensure that every contract purchased thereby, which provides hospital and medical expense benefits, additionally provides coverage and payment for health care services delivered to a covered person through telemedicine or telehealth, on the same basis as, and at a provider reimbursement rate that does not exceed the provider reimbursement rate that is applicable, when the services are delivered through in-person contact and consultation in New Jersey. Reimbursement payments under this section may be provided either to the individual practitioner who delivered the reimbursable services, or to the agency, facility, or organization that employs the individual practitioner who delivered the reimbursable services, as appropriate.

b. A health benefits contract purchased by the State Health Benefits Commission may limit coverage to services that are delivered by health care providers in the health benefits plan's network, but may not charge any deductible, copayment, or coinsurance for a health care service, delivered through telemedicine or telehealth, in an amount that exceeds the deductible, copayment, or coinsurance amount that is applicable to an in-person consultation.

c. Nothing in this section shall be construed to:

(1) prohibit a health benefits contract from providing coverage for only those services that are medically necessary, subject to the terms and conditions of the covered person's health benefits plan; or

(2) allow the State Health Benefits Commission, or a contract purchased thereby, to require a covered person to use telemedicine or telehealth in lieu of receiving an in-person service from an in-network provider.

d. The State Health Benefits Commission shall adopt rules and regulations, pursuant to the "Administrative Procedure Act," P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.), to implement the provisions of this section.

e. As used in this section:

"Telehealth" means the same as that term is defined by section 1 of P.L.2017, c.117 (C.45:1-61).

"Telemedicine" means the same as that term is defined by section 1 of P.L.2017, c.117 (C.45:1-61).

L.2017, c.117, s.9.