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Alaska2026Passed Legislature

SB83

Alaska Telehealth Insurance Payment Rules

Last scannedSep 8, 2026, 12:47 AM

In one sentence

This bill requires health insurance plans in Alaska to pay at least the same rate for telehealth visits as they do for comparable in-person doctor appointments.

What it does

  • Requires insurers to reimburse providers at least the same rate for telehealth services, including behavioral health, as for comparable in-person care.
  • Allows insurance companies to use geographic pay differences when paying out-of-state healthcare providers.
  • Applies these new reimbursement rules to municipal group health plans covering city employees, even if they are self-insured.
  • Requires state employee group health policies and self-insured plans for active state workers to follow the same telehealth payment standards.

Who it affects

  • Health care insurers operating in Alaska
  • Municipalities that offer group health insurance or self-insurance to their employees
  • State agencies managing health coverage, including self-insured plans for state workers and retirees
  • Healthcare providers who deliver services through telehealth

Limits and unknowns

  • The bill text provided does not specify the exact date when these new rules will begin.
  • It is unclear how insurance companies will calculate 'comparable' services between remote and in-person visits without more detail.
  • The text mentions amending an effective date from a 2022 law but does not state what the final start date for this bill will be.

Plain language

Terms to know

Telehealth
Medical care provided remotely using technology.
Reimbursement rate
The amount of money an insurance company pays a doctor for providing medical services.
Self-insurance
When an employer sets aside its own funds to pay employee health claims instead of buying a standard policy from an insurer.

Official record

Sources

Validated
Official bill pageIntroduced textCurrent bill text

Official summary

TELEHEALTH: COVERAGE, REIMBURSEMENT RATES An Act relating to health care insurance; relating to insurance reimbursement for health care services provided through telehealth; relating to telehealth; providing for an effective date by repealing the effective date of secs. 9 and 10, ch. 38, SLA 2022; and providing for an effective date.

Official activity

Bill history

  1. (H) REFERRED TO RULES2638
  2. (H) FN4: ZERO(CED)2638
  3. (H) FN3: ZERO(ADM)2638
  4. (H) NR: COULOMBE, SADDLER, D.NELSON2638
  5. (H) DP: CARRICK, FRIER, FIELDS, HALL2638
  6. (H) TECHNICAL TITLE CHANGE2638
  7. (H) L&C RPT HCS(L&C) NEW TITLE 4DP 3NR2638
  8. (H) Moved HCS CSSB 83(L&C) Out of CommitteeText
  9. (H) LABOR & COMMERCE at 03:15 PM BARNES 124Text
  10. (H) <Bill Hearing Canceled>Text
  11. (H) LABOR & COMMERCE at 03:15 PM BARNES 124Text
  12. (H) Heard & Held -- Meeting Postponed from 3:15 pm 4/13/2026--Text
  13. (H) LABOR & COMMERCE at 08:00 AM BARNES 124Text
  14. (H) -- Testimony <Invitation Only> -- -- Meeting Postponed to 8:00 am 4/15/2026--Text
  15. (H) LABOR & COMMERCE at 03:15 PM BARNES 124Text
  16. (H) -- Testimony <Invitation Only> -- -- MEETING CANCELED --Text
  17. (H) LABOR & COMMERCE at 03:15 PM BARNES 124Text
  18. (H) FN4: ZERO(CED)1910
  19. (H) FN3: ZERO(ADM)1910
  20. (H) NR: GRAY, SCHWANKE1910

Changes

Amendments

2 stored

AM 1

This amendment requires health insurance companies to pay the same reimbursement rates for all doctors and medical professionals who provide telehealth services using standard billing codes.

AM 1 to AM 1

This amendment clarifies when the new telehealth reimbursement rules apply by specifying they only take effect if there is no existing contract between an insurer and a provider.