Telehealth linked to modest quality, cost increases, study finds

Healthcare DIVE April 18, 2024
Emily Olsen

The findings suggest it would be challenging to restrict telehealth payment in Medicare, researchers said. Some pandemic flexibilities are set to expire at the end of 2024.

Dive Brief:

• Increased use of telehealth among Medicare beneficiaries is linked to some quality improvements and a relatively small bump in healthcare spending — results that could support continued regulatory flexibilities for virtual care, according to a study published Wednesday in Health Affairs.
• Medicare patients who received care at health systems with high levels of telehealth adoption experienced modest increases in office visits, care continuity and medication adherence, as well as a decrease in emergency department visits compared with systems with low telehealth use. That group also saw a 1.6% increase...

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