Parity

SERVICE PARITY

An insurer shall reimburse the treating provider or the consulting provider for the diagnosis, consultation, or treatment of the insured delivered through telemedicine services on the same basis for services provided via telemedicine.

An insurer shall not exclude a service for coverage solely because the service is provided through telemedicine services and is not provided through in-person consultation or contact between a health care provider and a patient for services appropriately provided through telemedicine services.

No insurer shall require an in-person consultation or contact before a patient may receive telemedicine services from a health care provider, except for the purposes of initial installation, setup, or delivery of in-home telehealth devices or services, or as otherwise required by state or federal law, rule, or regulation.

SOURCE: Official Code of GA Annotated Sec. 33-24-56.4. (Accessed Jun 2025).

PAYMENT PARITY

An insurer shall reimburse the treating provider or the consulting provider for the diagnosis, consultation, or treatment of the insured delivered through telemedicine services on the same basis and at least at the rate that the insurer is responsible for coverage for the provision of the same service through in-person consultation or contact; provided, however, that nothing in this subsection shall require:

1. A health care provider or telemedicine company to accept more reimbursement than they are willing to charge, or
2. An insurer to pay for a telemedicine service provided through an audio-only call for any service other than mental or behavioral health services.

Payment for telemedicine interactions shall include reasonable compensation to the originating or distant site for the transmission cost incurred during the delivery of health care services; provided, however, that this shall not require the insurer to include payment for transmission costs if the originating or distant site is a home.

SOURCE: Official Code of GA Annotated Sec. 33-24-56.4. (Accessed Jun 2025).