Michigan Harnesses Telemedicine Technology

This may have escaped your notice this week due to the July 4th holiday, but the state of Michigan has joined 13 other states in how it treats claims for telemedicine.

This may have escaped your notice this week due to the July 4th holiday, but the state of Michigan has joined 13 other states in how it treats claims for telemedicine.

Governor Rick Snyder signed House Bills 5408 and 5421 into law.  As a result, health insurance providers in Michigan must now recognize claims for health services delivered by telemedicine methods.  In a statement released by his office, Governor Snyder said, “Telemedicine offers an incredible opportunity to easily provide health care to Michigan’s elderly, disabled and rural communities. I applaud the Legislature’s initiative to use technology to save lives.”

Even though the two bills, now Public Acts 214 and 215, were introduced by Republican House members, the bills were approved unanimously in both the Senate and the House.

With the stroke of the governor’s pen, Michigan has improved health care access by making it possible for physicians in that state to be reimbursed for telemedicine visits.   The move isn’t surprising.  What is surprising is that 36 other states haven’t approved similar legislation for their citizens.