Kaiser Family Foundation: Back to School amidst the New Normal: Ongoing Effects of the Coronavirus Pandemic on Children’s Health and Well-Being
KFF published a new research brief examining how COVID-19 has affected the health and well-being of children. Among the key findings, children’s utilization of telemedicine services increased since the start of the pandemic, however, not enough to offset the decrease in service utilization overall, suggesting areas where children are still experiencing delays and barriers in accessing health care. Preliminary data suggest that telehealth utilization for Medicaid/CHIP beneficiaries under 19 increased rapidly in April 2020 and remains higher than before the pandemic. While telehealth utilization has increased, the increase has not offset the decreases in service utilization overall, and barriers to accessing health care via telehealth may remain, especially for low-income patients or patients in rural areas.