Telemedicine Use by Age in Louisiana Medicaid During COVID-19

Journal of Medical Internet Research: Telemedicine Use by Age in Louisiana Medicaid During COVID-19

This claims-based longitudinal analysis found that Medicaid beneficiaries between the ages of 50 and 64 had higher telehealth claims during the COVID-19 pandemic compared to those aged 18 to 34. In April 2020, the 50 to 64 age group experienced an increase of 184.09 telehealth claims per 1,000 Medicaid beneficiaries. Researchers noted that this data shows that older patients in Louisiana had higher telehealth claim rates during the COVID-19 pandemic. Also, given that telehealth use remained high in December 2020, researchers also concluded that telehealth would likely serve as a channel for maintaining integral access to care. This data could serve as a tool for policymakers to determine telehealth laws and the policies that would most assist Medicaid beneficiaries.