Governor Josh Shapiro signed a bipartisan law that a local state senator proposed to increase telemedicine care.
Senator Elder Vogel introduced Senate Bill 739 but has spent years attempting to pass the Telemedicine law.
The law expands access to telemedicine services for residents of rural communities by requiring health insurers and managed care plans to pay for covered health care services provided through telemedicine.
The law also sets telehealth accessibility standards for Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program or CHIP. More than 30 rural hospitals across the state have reduced services or closed over the past two decades so telemedicine can help with ensuring care is available.
Vogel expressed appreciation for the support of his colleagues, the governor, and health care providers.