After several years of discussion, New Jersey is now considering its first telemedicine legislation. Introduced in January 2016, S 291 allows a health care practitioner to "remotely provide health care services to a patient in the State, and a bona fide relationship between health care practitioner and patient [to] be established, through the use of telemedicine." The bill defines "telemedicine" as "the delivery of a health care service using electronic communications," including two-way video conferencing and store-and-forward technology, but not including audio-only telephone conversation, email, or text. The bill also requires payment parity for services provided by telemedicine, both by New Jersey's Medicaid program and by private payors. On September 26, 2016, the bill was approved by a Senate panel and referred to the Budget and Appropriations Committee.
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