Most Alaska child care operators don't realize a new state law is about to reshape how they get paid for telehealth services—if they offer them.
Here's what most child care business owners in Alaska don't know: buried inside HB14 (the Medicaid Assistance, Insurance, and Disability/Workers' Compensation bill) is a provision that directly affects how much money you can collect from insurers for telehealth visits.
Effective January 1, 2027, Alaska law now requires that all insurers reimburse health care providers at the same rate for telehealth visits as they do for in-person visits. This applies to any licensed health care provider operating in Alaska—including small clinics, behavioral health practices, and telehealth-based businesses.
The specific language appears in Section 2 of HB14, which amended Alaska Statute 21.42.422(c). The law eliminates the practice of insurers paying less for a telehealth visit than for the same service delivered in person.
If your child care operation includes any health care service—whether that's on-site behavioral health support, nursing consultation, developmental screening, or mental health services—this law protects your revenue stream.
Before this provision, many insurers automatically discounted telehealth reimbursement. A provider might receive $100 for an in-person visit but only $75 for the identical service delivered by video. That gap directly reduced income, especially for small operators who couldn't negotiate individual contracts with insurers.
The new rule removes that discount. Starting January 1, 2027, you have a legal right to equal payment, regardless of whether the visit happens in your office or over a video call.
This applies if you:
It does not apply to unlicensed staff or to services billed directly to families rather than insurers.
If you currently bill insurers for telehealth services at a lower rate than in-person visits, mark your calendar for January 1, 2027. That's when you can begin enforcing equal-pay claims with your insurers.
If you're considering adding telehealth to your service mix, this law removes a financial barrier that previously made telehealth less attractive than in-person care.
Review your current insurance contracts now. Some may have language that contradicts the new state requirement. When January 1, 2027 arrives, state law supersedes any contract clause that tries to pay you less for telehealth.
HB14's telehealth reimbursement provision is a straightforward protection: equal work, equal pay, regardless of delivery method. For small child care operators who bill insurers, it's a meaningful safeguard of revenue that takes effect in 2027.
For a detailed, business-specific guide to HB14's health care provisions, contact your state trade association or local small business resource center.