00                 SENATE CS FOR HOUSE BILL NO. 29(HSS) am S                                                              
01 "An Act relating to insurance coverage for benefits provided through telehealth; and                                    
02 providing for an effective date."                                                                                       
03 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA:                                                                
04    * Section 1. AS 21.42.422 is amended to read:                                                                      
05 Sec. 21.42.422. Coverage for telehealth [AND MENTAL HEALTH                                                            
06 BENEFITS]. A health care insurer that offers, issues for delivery, or renews in the                                   
07 state a health care insurance plan in the group or individual market [THAT                                              
08 PROVIDES MENTAL HEALTH BENEFITS] shall provide coverage for [MENTAL                                                     
09 HEALTH] benefits provided through telehealth by a health care provider licensed in                                      
10       this state and may not require that prior in-person contact occur between a health care                           
11       provider and a patient before payment is made for covered services.                                               
12    * Sec. 2. AS 21.42.422 is amended by adding a new subsection to read:                                              
13            (b)  In this section,                                                                                        
14                 (1)  "health care insurer" means a person transacting the business of                                   

01 health care insurance, including an insurance company licensed under AS 21.09, a                                        
02 hospital or medical service corporation licensed under AS 21.87, a fraternal benefit                                    
03 society licensed under AS 21.84, a health maintenance organization licensed under                                       
04 AS 21.86, the Comprehensive Health Insurance Association described in                                                   
05 AS 21.55.010, a multiple employer welfare arrangement, a church plan, and a                                             
06 governmental plan, except for a nonfederal governmental plan that elects to be                                          
07 excluded under 42 U.S.C. 300gg-21(a)(2) (Health Insurance Portability and                                               
08       Accountability Act of 1996);                                                                                      
09                 (2)  "telehealth" has the meaning given in AS 47.05.270(e).                                             
10    * Sec. 3. The uncodified law of the State of Alaska is amended by adding a new section to                          
11 read:                                                                                                                   
12       APPLICABILITY. AS 21.42.422, as amended by sec. 1 of this Act, applies to a health                                
13 care insurance plan offered, issued for delivery, delivered, or renewed on or after the effective                       
14 date of this Act.                                                                                                       
15    * Sec. 4. This Act takes effect immediately under AS 01.10.070(c).