An act relating to reimbursement parity for health care services delivered in person, by telemedicine, and by audio-only telephone and extending time for flood abatement reimbursement

This bill requires health insurance plans in Vermont to cover medically necessary health care services delivered via audio-only telephone to the same extent as in-person visits, including the same reimbursement rates for providers. It allows plans to charge deductibles, co-payments, or coinsurance for audio-only services but limits these charges to amounts no higher than those for in-person consultations. The legislation also removes the requirement for providers to have an existing relationship with a patient to receive reimbursement for audio-only telephone services. Additionally, the bill extends the deadline for municipalities to apply for flood abatement reimbursement from April 15 to November 15, 2024, and prevents the automatic expiration of telemedicine reimbursement parity rules that was set to occur in 2026.