Medical insurers in Minnesota may soon be required to cover expenses incurred by patient care given over the phone or by virtual doctor visits. A bill making its way through the Legislature, called the Minnesota Telemedicine Act, would require insurance companies to treat distance medical consultation and treatment as if a patient was simply going to a doctor's office. Some advocates call this type of care the future of medical treatment, and say it could help rural and underserved communities. "[Telemedicine is] not being utilized to the full extent, so this legislation hopes to do that," said Sen. Greg Clausen, DFL-Apple Valley, co-author of the bill.
