Healthcare Law Alert: DOBI: PIP Carriers to Permit the Use of Telehealth
BACK TO INSIGHTS Alerts
April 28, 2020
Effective immediately, the New Jersey Department of Banking and Insurance (DOBI) has released Bulletin 20-19 allowing PIP carriers to permit the use of telehealth. In pertinent part, the Bulletin outlines the following directives:
- Encourage the use of network providers to use telemedicine/telehealth whenever appropriate in treating PIP patients due to the public health emergency
- Update procedures for telehealth/telemedicine to include telephone-only services
- Carriers cannot require specific technologies to be used for telehealth/telemedicine treatment during the state of emergency (i.e., audio only or live video)
- Reimburse providers for telehealth/telemedicine no less than the in-person rates
- Notify providers of any specific billing requirements for billing telehealth/telemedicine
- Set requirements to substantiate the treatment including documentation and recordkeeping, but cannot impose more restrictive requirements than an “in-person” visit
- Carriers may not impose in-state license restrictions, so long as the provider is in compliance with P.L. 2020, c. 4
- Carriers cannot require additional prior-authorization (precertification) requirements
- These updates should be disseminated on the PIP carriers’ websites or other reasonable means to keep individuals informed.
Bulletin 20-19 is published on the DOBI website and can be found here.
For additional information contact:
Keith J. Roberts, Esq., Member, Healthcare Law and Co-Chair, Litigation, at kroberts@bracheichler.com or 973-364-5201
Colleen Buontempo, Esq., Associate, Healthcare Law, at cbuontempo@bracheichler.com or 973-364-5210
*This is intended to provide general information, not legal advice. Please contact the authors if you need specific advice.
