Your health plan would have to cover a doctor visit delivered by phone only
What it does
HB 617 would require health benefit plans to cover telemedicine medical services, teledentistry dental services, and telehealth services on the same basis and to the same extent as the same service in person, including services delivered only through synchronous or asynchronous audio. A plan could not exclude a covered service just because it was not provided in person, and it could not limit, deny, or reduce coverage based on the platform the health professional chose. The bill would repeal Section 1455.004(c) of the Insurance Code. That repeal would apply only to a plan delivered, issued for delivery, or renewed on or after January 1, 2028, and the bill itself would take effect September 1, 2027.
What it means for your community
If your doctor offers a visit by phone only for a service your plan covers, your plan would have to pay for it the same way it pays for an office visit once your plan is renewed on or after January 1, 2028. Plans that are not renewed by then would keep the coverage rules they have now. Dentists could bill teledentistry services the same way they bill in-person dental care, and no plan could reduce coverage based on which platform a provider uses. The bill is about how a covered service is delivered, not about adding new benefits to your plan.
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