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 [...]

Utah Department of Health Center for Health Data and Informatics: A new literature review examines telehealth payment and makes conclusions whether legislation requiring payment parity should be considered. Key findings include: The costs of an ambulatory telehealth visit is on average around $40 lower compared to an in-person visit. Some telehealth services like ambulatory care take up lower physician time than in-person services, but some specialty telehealth services like surgery take up higher physician time. Physician professional organizations prefer payment parity for telehealth services. Patients and payers prefer the same level of telehealth services that were available and provided during the [...]