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Senate approves expansion of telehealth coverage for mental health
Summary
Senate passed first substitute SB 41 to expand telehealth coverage to include mental-health conditions; sponsors said insurers and the medical association helped craft language and the bill passed unanimously by roll call on Jan. 26.
The Utah Senate on Jan. 26 passed first substitute Senate Bill 41 to expand telehealth coverage to include mental-health conditions.
Sponsor Senator Escamilla told the body the bill arose from interim work and expands telehealth access for mental-health conditions in parity with other health-care coverage. “This again came from, interim committee and is basically expanding our telehealth access to mental health conditions as well,” the sponsor said, and noted insurers and the Utah Medical Association helped shape the language.
Senators had little floor discussion; the sponsor called the question and the Senate passed the bill by roll call (28 yeas, 0 nays, 1 absent). The bill will be transmitted to the House for consideration.
Supporters characterized the bill as aligning mental-health care coverage to telehealth practices already adopted during the pandemic; no floor amendments were adopted.
