The Missouri Senate unanimously approved legislation Thursday that would require insurance companies to cover medical services provided electronically if they cover the same service when it is delivered in person.
The bill proposes that people receiving medical treatment through "telemedicine" would not be charged higher co-pays or deductibles than they would be for a face-to-face doctor visit. Senator Rob Schaaf , a physician from St. Joseph, says telemedicine coverage is becoming more important. He says a shortage in doctors specializing in specific medical fields causes more people to use the Internet to consult with their providers.