COVID-19 and its subsequent stay-at-home orders have forced physicians and employers to realize how critical telehealth benefits are for providing employees access to essential health services. In fact, by mid-April, 14% of office visits were being conducted virtually and 64% of providers reported greater comfort levels with offering virtual care than prior to the pandemic, according to The Commonwealth Fund.
This shift not only helped employees safely receive care from the comfort of their own homes, but also helped employees save money by directing them to virtual care instead of in-office visits.
With vaccine distribution underway, the big question on everyone’s mind is: will this telehealth trend persist after the pandemic is in the rearview mirror?
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The answer is, it should— for the sake of employees’ health and pocketbooks. In order to sustain it, though, we address deeper structural problems around utilization and payment models.
Employees still aren’t taking full advantage of virtual care
Interestingly, even with an unprecedented number of patients trying telemedicine and all medical specialties accommodating virtual interactions, recent utilization has been low. Between mid-April and August the total number of appointments was still 60% below what we saw pre-pandemic, according to the Commonwealth study. Despite having access to virtual care, many people have delayed appointments, fallen behind in their health regimens, or even postponed procedures and preventative care.
Even as some specialties such as primary care and dermatology visits rebound to at or above pre-pandemic levels, other areas such as cardiology, otolaryngology and pulmonology remain 10% to 20% below baseline. While not all care for these specialties can be handled by telemedicine, the surge in telemedicine demand has led to the rapid expansion of at-home lab testing capabilities, remote monitoring devices and convenient apps that support how care for these specialites can be delivered. However, these utilization statistics make it clear that either employees aren’t aware of these options or just simply aren’t taking advantage of them.
The regulatory road ahead is rocky
Looking ahead, there are several uncertainties about who will be paying for telemedicine and whether reimbursement rates will be comparable to the traditional medical model, where patients come back into the office. Medicare made special accommodations to extend the definition of telemedicine during the pandemic, but it’s unclear whether those broader regulations will remain in effect after the pandemic. Additionally, different states have different laws around how telemedicine is covered, and only 29 states have “parity laws” that require telemedicine visits to be reimbursed at the same rate as an equivalent in-person visit.
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To make it even more complicated, only certain types of telemedicine are covered. For example, many insurance companies who pay for video consults do not pay for “store and forward” medical care, such as messaging with a physician through a secure app. This is a big concern because this method is typically the most efficient and cost-effective way for employees to receive quality care for many health concerns. It’s clear there are a number of regulatory and policy hurdles ahead for the future of telehealth.
Employers can still help fill in the gaps
While the way telehealth will be paid for and delivered after the pandemic remains unclear, employers are in prime position to facilitate and accelerate this trend for employees. There are three important components for steering employees to more convenient and affordable care:
Communication: Frequent communication with employees about virtual services coverage is covered is key. Marketing campaigns throughout the year can be a great way to let employees know that taking care of themselves can be less of a chore.
Technology: Providing an easy way to access virtual care through intuitive technology has made a difference in adoption. Since convenience is one of the highlighted benefits of telemedicine, eliminating the technological complexities is key.
Support: Supporting employees through the process is essential, as there are varying levels of phone app savviness to cater to. Even with simple technology, it’s important to have a team on standby to help if difficulties arise to ensure a frictionless experience.
As case numbers and death tolls continue to rise, encouraging telemedicine is one of the best ways employers can promote employee safety, wellness and cost savings. To help virtual care maintain its momentum, employers must offer their people appealing, simple, and supported solutions.
