Interstate Telehealth Use By Medicare Beneficiaries Before And After COVID-19 Licensure Waivers, 2017–20

Health Affairs: Interstate Telehealth Use By Medicare Beneficiaries Before And After COVID-19 Licensure Waivers, 2017–20

A study by the University of Michigan analyzed trends in interstate telehealth use by Medicare beneficiaries during 2017-2020, which covered the period both directly before and during the first year of the pandemic. The study found that the number of out-of-state telehealth services from the first quarter to the fourth quarter of 2020 increased by 572 percent, and that a higher percentage of out-of-state telehealth users lived in rural areas (28 percent). Additionally, 64 percent of out-of-state telehealth visits occurred between a patient and clinician in a bordering state. The study also found that most out-of-state telehealth use was for established patient care, suggesting the majority of out-of-state telehealth is used for continuity of care rather than acquisition of new patients. For additional coverage on this study, see Inside Telehealth, mHealth Intelligence, Medical Xpress, Fierce Healthcare, and Medical Economics.