Cheat Sheet
Use of virtual visits in response to COVID-19
Updated -
March 26, 2020
15 Minute Read
Key Takeaways
- Payers are actively pushing virtual visits as an intentional strategy to limit the imminent spread of COVID-19.
- Most plans have temporarily eliminated cost-sharing on virtual visits to encourage members to get urgent and acute care without risking exposure and spread of COVID-19.
- Many telehealth vendors, such as Zocdoc, Teladoc, and Doctor on Demand, are seeing outsized utilization over the past few weeks— citing as much as a 50% increase in visits.
- The Trump administration has eased Medicare’s telehealth payment restrictions, allowing providers to treat patients from their own mobile phones.