Rates of Telemedicine Visits During COVID-19 Pandemic

AJMC: Rates of Telemedicine Visits During COVID-19 Pandemic

A new study published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research found that older Medicaid beneficiaries had significantly higher telemedicine use during the COVID-19 pandemic compared with younger beneficiaries. The purpose of the study was to examine changes in telemedicine and in-person health service use during the COVID-19 pandemic across age groups for Medicaid beneficiaries in the state of Louisiana. Prior to the pandemic, telemedicine services accounted for less than one percent of total office visit claim volume across the age groups studied. Older Medicaid beneficiaries had higher rates of telemedicine claim volume during the COVID-19 pandemic compared with younger beneficiaries, highlighting a link between telemedicine services and access to care for this population.