State Telemedicine Policy Information
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New York Telemedicine Policy
New York Telemedicine Policy
New York became the twenty-second state to require private insurance companies to cover telehealth services when New York Governor Andrew Cuomo signed the state’s telehealth parity law, which went into effect Jan. 1, 2016. This law also authorized the New York Medicaid agency to increase coverage and reimbursement of telemedicine.
State Policy Overview
Medicaid
Yes
Private Payer
Yes
Parity
Yes
Additional State Telemedicine Info
Parity Laws
In December 2014, New York passed its telehealth parity law, which authorized coverage for telehealth services by private insurance, Medicaid, and state employee health plans. However, the law does not mandate coverage for store-and-forward and remote patient monitoring telehealth.
Medicaid
New York’s Medicaid agency covers fee-for-service telehealth via live video, store-and-forward, and remote patient monitoring solutions. However, the state does limit which healthcare providers can practice telehealth and the location of the patient at the time of service.
Additionally, Medicaid managed care plans can choose whether to cover telehealth.
Type Of Telemedicine Covered
New York Medicaid reimburses live video telemedicine when used to deliver medically necessary care for patients ineligible locations (see Locations section below). Medicaid is also authorized to cover store-and-forward and remote patient monitoring solutions.
Covered Health Services
Under New York’s parity law, private health plans cannot exclude coverage for any telemedicine service that would be covered if deliver in-person.
New York Medicaid reimburses for medically necessary services over live video, and specialty care such as dermatology and ophthalmology for store-and-forward telehealth.
Eligible Healthcare Providers
Under New York’s parity law, private health plans cannot exclude coverage for any telemedicine service that would be covered if deliver in-person.
New York Medicaid reimburses for medically necessary services over live video and specialty care such as dermatology and ophthalmology for store-and-forward telehealth.
- Eligible Healthcare Providers
New York Medicaid has a long list of health care providers who can practice telemedicine:
- Physician specialists, including psychiatrists
- Diabetes Educators
- Asthma Educators
- Psychologists
- Dentists
- Psychiatric Nurse Practitioners
- Genetic Counselors
- Clinical Social Workers
- Physician
- Physician assistant
- Nurse practitioner
- Registered professional nurse
- Podiatrist
- Optometrist
- Speech-language pathologist or audiologist
- Midwife
- Hospital
- Home care services agency
- Hospice
- Or any other provider as determined by the Commissioner
Online Prescriptions
New York does not currently have any restrictions for prescribing medication via telehealth.
Informed Patient Consent
New York only states that telemedicine-specific informed patient consent is required for telepsychiatry.
Cross-State Telemedicine Licensing
New York recently introduced legislation to join the Interstate Medical Licensure Compact, which makes the medical licensing process easier for out-of-state telemedicine providers.
Restrictions On Locations
New York law states that eligible originating sites (location of the patient) for care via telemedicine are:
- Hospitals and Hospice care
- Facilities for mental health care, including a psychiatric center, development center, institute, clinic, ward, institution or building
- Physician offices
- Schools and child day care centers
- Adult care facility
- Patient’s home