In April of 2020, we saw the peak use of telehealth during this
pandemic. At that point, around 70% of health-related appointments
were via telehealth. One company, Kaiser Permanente, provides its
members with 24/7 care that can keep people out of our emergency
rooms unnecessarily, which can be 12 times more expensive than
visiting an office (Pearl & Wayling, 2022). a However, telehealth is only
sustainable given we have the providers willing to use it. Pre-
pandemic, providers were reimbursed at a lower rate than in person
visits. But in March of 2020, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid
Services (CMS) stated that telehealth visits will be reimbursed the
same as in person. When the government declares that COVID is no
longer a public health emergency, the equal reimbursement will only
last another 151 days after this, then it goes back to previous rates.
This, unfortunately but not surprisingly, will not incentivize provides
to utilize telehealth (Jordan, 2022).
This could then impact a large portion of the patient’s utilizing
telehealth. If providers no long offer telehealth, many urban area
residents may not be able to afford to travel for appointments, take a
half/full day off from work, or arrange and afford childcare. These
patients will become
“noncompliant,” but only due to their inability to attend in person
appointments (Pearl & Wayling, 2022).
This form of visits, if lost, would be a big hit to some very ill patients
requiring visits to multiple specialist all over the country. Telehealth
has provided patients with the ability to get in contact with these
specialists much faster and easier than regular in person visits, which
speeds up the care they need. Even for the patients who have severe
diseases such as ALS that needs to see a specialist across town, this
visit requires a wheelchair-accessible van rental, a driver, and
someone to accompany her to her visit. These types of patients
benefit from the ability to receive their care without having to leave
the comfort of their own home (Jordan, 2022).
Jordan, S. (2022). Telemedicine Revolutionized Healthcare. But Its
Future Is Uncertain.” Philadelphia. https://www.phillymag.com/be-well-
philly/2022/04/30/telemedicine-revolution/
Pearl, R., & Wayling, B. (2022). The Telehealth Era Is Just Beginning.
Harvard Business Review. https://hbr.org/2022/05/the-telehealth-era-
is-just-beginning
