Gov. Arnold Palacios, left, signs H.B. 23-47 into law as its author, Rep. Malcom Omar, looks on.
GOVERNOR Arnold I. Palacios has signed into law House Bill 23-47, an act to “establish parity in coverage and payments for mental health and behavioral health services delivered through telehealth and in person.”
Introduced by Rep. Malcolm Omar, the bill is now Public Law 23-13.
According to its proponents, the new law will ensure that the public can afford tele-mental health services by requiring a private payer, Medicaid or other government plan or policy to provide coverage.
P.L. 23-13 also prohibits health insurance issuers from denying coverage for mental or behavioral health services on the basis that the services are provided through tele-health.
Omar said the measure is one way to address the “limited resources” that the CNMI faces in terms of mental health providers on island.
P.L. 23-13 ties into P.L. 22-23, which recognized the Psychology Interjurisdictional Compact or PSYPACT in the CNMI. PSYPACT is an interstate agreement designed to “facilitate the practice of telepsychology and the temporary in-person, face-to-face practice of psychology across state boundaries,” according to its website.
“We can branch out to get other service providers to provide services and more of our people can get coverage and avail [themselves of what] they need and what we lack here,” Omar said.
