Telehealth, an increasingly popular technology that allows patients to see doctors virtually, may be here to stay.
Regulations have slowed telehealth's acceptance in the hospital and health systems, but the COVID-19 pandemic brought the usefulness of the tool to the front of minds, expanding access to care and saving many lives.
“I just can’t imagine going back because people recognize the value of this," Seema Verma, Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) administrator, told the American Hospital Association.
Telehealth use among Medicare beneficiaries is up 11,000% over the past several months. Patients are taking advantage of the ease and convenience telehealth offers.
Because of the pandemic, Congress and the CMS waived several restrictions around telehealth, including Medicare's limited coverage for rural patients.
Several specific legislative actions need to be extended in order for telehealth services to continue to impact the largest number of people. Some of these issues yet to be addressed include location and eligibility issues, types of services covered and billing, payment and coverage concerns. The American Hospital Association has recommended actions that CMS should take to continue care after the pandemic is over.
