New Jersey sets a trend with Telemedicine Parity Bills

Sen. Shirley Turner (D-15) joined the Northeast region trendsetting for access to telemedicine/telehealth.

Sen. Turner introduced bills , S2337 and S 2338, permitting coverage for private insurance, Medicaid and State employee health plans. These bills would prohibit health insurance plans from requiring in-person contact before a telemedicine encounter as a condition of payment. New Jersey Medicaid’s decision to cover telehealth services in 2013 was the first of its kind in the history of the agency.

Ease of access to their doctor for those people with transportation challenges, movement disorders or complex chronic conditions can now provide an early intervention that should reduce health care costs. Prevention of disease and health promotion will be the natural sequelae of accessible services such as patient education and information prescriptions that telehealth can provide.

Whole medical systems such as Homeopathy, Acupuncture, Traditional Chinese Medicine and Ayurveda will lead the way to safe, natural, affordable health care, thus a healthier population. Licensed providers with these disciplines within their scope of practice may be re-imbursed for services per these bills.

Joining the regional trendsetters , CT, MA, NY, PA and RI , New Jersey now can lay claim to innovation in the healthcare delivery system that will change the paradigm to one of choice, access and empowerment.

Kudos the Sen. Turner and the New Jersey voters!