Insights

On March 16, 2020, the Insurance Department published Bulletin 2020-1. The bulletin directs carriers to adopt procedures that will encourage employees to use telemedicine in an effort to reduce the spread of COVID-19, including for non-emergency medical care. To assist, the following limitations to telemedicine services (found in current Mississippi law) are suspended until April 30, 2020:

• Any limitation on the use of audio-only telephonic consultations
• Any requirement by a health insurance or employee benefit plan that limits coverage to health providers in the plan’s telemedicine network (the intention is that mental health services provided by telemedicine consultations be covered to the same extent that the services would be covered through in-person consultation)
• Any requirement by a health insurance or employee benefit plan that limits coverage to provider or provider consultations only (the intention is that telemedicine consultations between a patient and a provider are covered to the same extent that the services would be covered if they were provided through in-person consultation)

Employers should work with their carriers in reviewing telemedicine options available under their plans in Mississippi.

Bulletin 2020-1 »