TELEMEDICINE MEDICAL SERVICES, TELEDENTISTRY DENTAL SERVICES, AND TELEHEALTH SERVICES.

(a) In providing covered benefits to a child, a health plan provider must permit benefits to be provided through telemedicine medical services, teledentistry dental services, and telehealth services in accordance with policies developed by the commission.

(b) The policies must provide for:

(1) the availability of covered benefits appropriately provided through telemedicine medical services, teledentistry dental services, and telehealth services that are comparable to the same types of covered benefits provided without the use of telemedicine medical services, teledentistry dental services, and telehealth services; and

(2) the availability of covered benefits for different services performed by multiple health care providers during a single session of telemedicine medical services, teledentistry dental services, or both services, or of telehealth services, if the executive commissioner determines that delivery of the covered benefits in that manner is cost-effective in comparison to the costs that would be involved in obtaining the services from providers without the use of telemedicine medical services, teledentistry dental services, or telehealth services, including the costs of transportation and lodging and other direct costs.

(c) In this section, "teledentistry dental service," "telehealth service," and "telemedicine medical service" have the meanings assigned by Section 521.0001, Government Code.