Benton Institute for Broadband & Society - Health Affairs

The Impact Of Telemedicine On Medicare Utilization, Spending, And Quality, 2019–22

zwalker@benton.org — Thu, 25 Apr 2024 20:56:29 +0000

Telemedicine use remains substantially higher than it was before the COVID-19 pandemic, although it has fallen from pandemic highs. To inform the ongoing debate about whether to continue payment for telemedicine visits, this report estimated the association of greater telemedicine use across health systems with utilization, spending, and quality. In 2020, Medicare patients receiving care at health systems in the highest quartile of telemedicine use had 2.5 telemedicine visits per person, compared with 0.7 telemedicine visits per person in the lowest quartile of telemedicine use. In 2021–22, relative to those in the lowest quartile, Medicare patients of health systems in the highest quartile had an increase of 0.21 total outpatient visits (telemedicine and in-person) per patient per year, a decrease of 14.4 annual non-COVID-19 emergency department visits per 1,000 patients per year, a $248 increase in per patient per year spending, and increased adherence for metformin and statins. There were no clear differential changes in hospitalizations or receipt of preventive care.

Benton Content:

https://www.healthaffairs.org/doi/full/10.1377/hlthaff.2023.01142

Teaser:

This report estimates the association of greater telemedicine use across health systems with utilization, spending, and quality.

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Fri, 04/26/2024

Daily Digest:

Daily Digest 4/25/2024

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Publish Date:

Thu, 04/25/2024

Coverage Type:

Research

Health and Media

Health Information Technology

Too Many Rural Americans Are Living In the Digital Dark. The Problem Demands A New Deal Solution

Robbie McBeath — Wed, 28 Oct 2020 16:34:33 +0000

There’s no doubt that more patients and providers are relying on telehealth than ever before. But rural Americans are 10 times more likely to lack broadband access than their urban counterparts. This rural telehealth crisis must be addressed at the federal level. Whatever the total cost of solving the rural broadband challenge, it is clear that tens of billions of dollars in federal investment is needed. Critics may claim that the private sector can, and should, solve this problem. But if that were true, it would have already done so. Back in the 1930s, electric companies had the ability—but not the economic incentive—to electrify rural areas. The same holds true today for rural broadband. Today’s lack of rural broadband is a market failure that can only be cured with federal dollars. Federal investment in rural electrification helped ignite investment across the country.

[Mark Dornauer and Robert Bryce are visiting fellows at the Foundation for Research on Equal Opportunity]

Benton Content:

https://www.healthaffairs.org/do/10.1377/hblog20201026.515764/full/

Teaser:

Today’s lack of rural broadband is a market failure that can only be cured with federal dollars. Federal investment in rural electrification helped ignite investment across the country.

Source:

Health Affairs

Author:

Mark Dornauer

Robert Bryce

Send date:

Thu, 10/29/2020

Daily Digest:

Daily Digest 10/28/2020

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Not Available

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