Assessment of the Feasibility and Cost of Replacing In-Person Care with Acute Care Telehealth Services

A study demonstrating the feasibility of and cost of replacing in-person case with acute care telehealth services found that the average estimated cost of a telehealth visit is $40 to $50 per visit compared to the average estimated cost of $136 to $176 for in-person acute care. The study estimated savings per commercial telehealth visit of $126. Also, in Medicare, replacing in-person acute care services with telehealth visits reimbursed at the same rate as a doctor’s office visit could save the Medicare program an estimated $45/visit. The study found a very low likelihood of “induced utilization,” whereby patients who did not previously seek care would now seek care.