AlaskaInsurers would pay comparable rates for telehealth care
Health insurers and certain government employee plans would pay at least as much for telehealth care as for comparable in-person care, with a possible geographic rate difference for out-of-state providers.
What it does
Insurers would pay at least as much for telehealth care as for similar in-person care, including behavioral health care. They may use a geographic pay difference for providers from outside Alaska.
Health plans for municipal workers, other participating government workers, and active state employees in a state self-insured plan would follow the same telehealth payment rule.
If two provisions from a 2022 law take effect under that law's terms, their effective date would be June 30, 2040, instead of 2030.
Argument forPeople using telehealth may have better access to care if insurers must pay for it at rates comparable to in-person visits.
Argument againstInsurers may pay more for some telehealth visits if those rates must match in-person care, including when the provider is outside Alaska.
More detail
Health care insurers would pay at least the same rate for telehealth care as for comparable in-person care. The rule covers health care services provided through telehealth, including behavioral health services. Insurers may use a geographic pay difference for providers from outside Alaska. The act would take effect January 1, 2027.
Certain government employee health plans would have to follow the same telehealth payment rule. This covers municipal employee plans, plans for employees of participating government units, and self-insured state employee plans. Municipal plans are covered even if the municipality pays claims itself. The state rule applies to self-insured plans covering active state employees. The act would take effect January 1, 2027.
The date for two earlier provisions to take effect would move from 2030 to 2040, if those provisions take effect under the earlier law. The date change concerns sections 9 and 10 of chapter 38, Session Laws of Alaska 2022. This date applies only if sections 9 and 10 of the 2022 law take effect under that law's section 13. The revised date is June 30, 2040, and applies only if the earlier law's section 13 makes sections 9 and 10 take effect.
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Where it stands
- Introduced
- Passed Senate
- Passed House
- To Governor
- Became Law
Looking ahead
No hearings or votes scheduled.
History
- 2026
- May 16(H) REFERRED TO RULESLatest
- May 16(H) FN4: ZERO(CED)
- May 16(H) FN3: ZERO(ADM)
- May 16(H) NR: COULOMBE, SADDLER, D.NELSON
- May 16(H) DP: CARRICK, FRIER, FIELDS, HALL
- May 16(H) TECHNICAL TITLE CHANGE
- May 16(H) L&C RPT HCS(L&C) NEW TITLE 4DP 3NR
- May 15(H) Moved HCS CSSB 83(L&C) Out of Committee
- May 15(H) LABOR & COMMERCE at 03:15 PM BARNES 124
- Apr 15(H) <Bill Hearing Canceled>
- Apr 15(H) LABOR & COMMERCE at 03:15 PM BARNES 124
- Apr 15(H) Heard & Held -- Meeting Postponed from 3:15 pm 4/13/2026--
- Apr 15(H) LABOR & COMMERCE at 08:00 AM BARNES 124
- Apr 13(H) -- Testimony <Invitation Only> -- -- Meeting Postponed to 8:00 am 4/15/2026--
- Apr 13(H) LABOR & COMMERCE at 03:15 PM BARNES 124
- Apr 8(H) -- Testimony <Invitation Only> -- -- MEETING CANCELED --
- Apr 8(H) LABOR & COMMERCE at 03:15 PM BARNES 124
- Mar 23(H) FN4: ZERO(CED)
- Mar 23(H) FN3: ZERO(ADM)
- Mar 23(H) NR: GRAY, SCHWANKE
- Mar 23(H) DP: PRAX, FIELDS, MEARS, MINA
- Mar 23(H) HSS RPT HCS(HSS) 4DP 2NR
- Mar 19(H) Moved HCS CSSB 83(HSS) Out of Committee
- Mar 19(H) HEALTH & SOCIAL SERVICES at 03:15 PM DAVIS 106
- Mar 10(H) Minutes (HHSS)
- Mar 10(H) Heard & Held
- Mar 10(H) HEALTH & SOCIAL SERVICES at 03:15 PM DAVIS 106
- Feb 3(H) Minutes (HHSS)
- Feb 3(H) Heard & Held
- Feb 3(H) HEALTH & SOCIAL SERVICES at 03:15 PM DAVIS 106
- 2025
- May 9(H) HSS, L&C
- May 9(H) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALSMinor
- May 7(S) VERSION: CSSB 83(HSS)
- Vote recorded (S) PASSED Y14 N6 #1154. Result: pass.Upper
- Vote recorded (S) AM 1 TO AM 1 ADOPTED Y12 N8 #1154. Result: pass.Upper
- May 7(S) TRANSMITTED TO (H)Passed House
- May 7(S) EFFECTIVE DATE(S) SAME AS PASSAGE
- May 7(S) PASSED Y14 N6Passed Senate
- May 7(S) AUTOMATICALLY IN THIRD READINGMinor
- May 7(S) AM NO 1 AS AMENDED WITHDRAWN
- May 7(S) AM 1 TO AM 1 ADOPTED Y12 N8
- May 7(S) AM NO 1 OFFERED
- May 7(S) RETURN TO SECOND FOR AMS UC
- May 7(S) BEFORE SENATE ON FINAL PASSAGE
- May 5(S) HELD IN THIRD READING TO 5/7 CALMinor
- May 5(S) READ THE THIRD TIME CSSB 83(HSS)Minor
- May 2(S) ADVANCED TO THIRD READING 5/5 CALMinor
- May 2(S) HSS CS ADOPTED UC
- May 2(S) READ THE SECOND TIMEMinor
- May 2(S) RULES TO CALENDAR 5/2/2025
- May 2(S) FN2: ZERO(CED)
- May 2(S) FN1: ZERO(ADM)
- May 2(S) NR: MERRICK, YUNDT
- May 2(S) DP: BJORKMAN, DUNBAR, GRAY-JACKSON
- May 2(S) CORRECTED L&C RPT CS(HSS) 3DP 2NR
- Apr 15(S) FN2: ZERO(CED)
- Apr 15(S) FN1: ZERO(ADM)
- Apr 15(S) NR: MERRICK, YUNDT
- Apr 15(S) DP: BJORKMAN, DUNBAR, GRAY-JACKSON
- Apr 15(S) L&C RPT 3DP 2NR
- Apr 14(S) Minutes (SL&C)
- Apr 14(S) Moved CSSB 83(HSS) Out of Committee
- Apr 14(S) LABOR & COMMERCE at 01:30 PM BELTZ 105 (TSBldg)
- Apr 7(S) Minutes (SL&C)
- Apr 7(S) Heard & Held
- Apr 7(S) LABOR & COMMERCE at 01:30 PM BELTZ 105 (TSBldg)
- Mar 26(S) L&C REFERRAL ADDED
- Mar 26(S) FIN REFERRAL WAIVED UC
- Mar 14(S) FN2: ZERO(CED)
- Mar 14(S) FN1: ZERO(ADM)
- Mar 14(S) AM: GIESSEL
- Mar 14(S) DNP: HUGHES
- Mar 14(S) DP: DUNBAR, CLAMAN
- Mar 14(S) HSS RPT CS 2DP 1DNP 1AM NEW TITLE
- Mar 13(S) Minutes (SHSS)
- Mar 13(S) Moved CSSB 83(HSS) Out of Committee
- Mar 13(S) HEALTH & SOCIAL SERVICES at 03:30 PM BUTROVICH 205
- Feb 25(S) Minutes (SHSS)
- Feb 25(S) Heard & Held
- Feb 25(S) HEALTH & SOCIAL SERVICES at 03:30 PM BUTROVICH 205
- Feb 11(S) Minutes (SHSS)
- Feb 11(S) Heard & Held
- Feb 11(S) HEALTH & SOCIAL SERVICES at 03:30 PM BUTROVICH 205
- Jan 31(S) HSS, FIN
- Jan 31(S) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALSIntroduced
Healthcare