On May 16, the Ohio House Health Committee heard proponent testimony for House Bill 546, a bill to prohibit health benefit plans from treating telemedicine services differently from in-person health care services solely because they are provided as telemedicine services.
Witnesses speaking on behalf of the Cleveland Clinic, the Ohio State Wexner Medical Center, University of Cincinnati Health, the Ohio State Medical Association, Equitas Health, and the Ohio Psychiatric Physicians Association provided testimony.
Witnesses outlined the many benefits of telemedicine, specifically for patients living in rural areas with long commutes to hospitals, and patients being treated for mental illnesses.