44-7,107. Telehealth; asynchronous review by dermatologist; coverage.

(1) For purposes of this section:

(a) Asynchronous review means the acquisition and storage of medical information at one site that is then forwarded to or retrieved by a health care provider at another site for medical evaluation;

(b) Dermatologist means a board-certified physician who is trained to evaluate and treat individuals with benign and malignant disorders of the skin, hair, nails, and adjacent mucous membranes with a specialization in the diagnosis and treatment of skin cancers, melanomas, moles, and other tumors of the skin along with surgical techniques used in dermatology and interpretation of skin biopsies; and

(c) Telehealth has the same meaning as in section 44-312.

(2) Any insurer offering (a) any individual or group sickness and accident insurance policy, certificate, or subscriber contract delivered, issued for delivery, or renewed in this state, (b) any hospital, medical, or surgical expense-incurred policy, or (c) any self-funded employee benefit plan to the extent not preempted by federal law, shall not exclude, in any policy, certificate, contract, or plan offered or renewed on or after August 24, 2017, a service from coverage solely because the service is delivered through telehealth, including services originating from any location where the patient is located, and is not provided through in-person consultation or contact between a licensed health care provider and a patient.

(3)(a) Any insurer offering any policy, certificate, contract, or plan described in subsection (2) of this section for which coverage of benefits begins on or after January 1, 2021, shall not exclude from coverage telehealth services provided by a dermatologist solely because the service is delivered asynchronously.

(b) An insurer shall reimburse a health care provider for asynchronous review by a dermatologist delivered through telehealth at a rate negotiated between the provider and the insurer.

(c) It is not a violation of this subsection for an insurer to include a deductible, copayment, or coinsurance requirement for a health care service provided through telehealth if such costs do not exceed those included for the same services provided through in-person contact.

(4) Nothing in this section shall be construed to require an insurer to provide coverage for services that are not medically necessary.

(5) This section does not apply to any policy, certificate, contract, or plan that provides coverage for a specified disease or other limited-benefit coverage.

Source:Laws 2017, LB92, § 1; Laws 2020, LB760, § 1; Laws 2021, LB400, § 2.