Written by Dr. Aisha Harris
Have you ever had a telehealth appointment? Have you talked to your doctor through a video about a medical problem? Called an “online doctor” for urgent medical care?
For years, we have reaped the benefits of virtual health care options. Patients near and far have been able to improve their health access opportunities through telephone and video appointments-discussing medical care from the convenience of their home or during a break at work.
Telemedicine is the use of electronic information and communications technologies to provide and support health care.
During the COVID pandemic, telehealth medicine became essential to provide health access in a time when communities were limited in resources and access.
But prior to the pandemic, telehealth medicine was not very common as there were many restrictions including reimbursement restrictions and privacy challenges. Through years of health technology development and innovations, our telehealth communication options have strengthened and broadened.
But, unfortunately, all of this access can start coming to an end as the health industry reverts back to before 2020, before the COVID pandemic, when we did not embrace telehealth options very much.
On April 1, Medicare will stop covering most telehealth visit options. There will only be coverage for telehealth if it is related to rural medicine, end stage renal disease or behavioral health.
What does this mean? It means that most of the telehealth we’re utilizing right now will no longer be an option for Medicare patients. There will be no diabetes management, high blood pressure management, sick visits, asthma follow ups or check-ins through formal telehealth appointment visits.
Why is this happening? There are many reasons, but the main reason is that the telehealth expansion allowed during the COVID pandemic is expiring. It might be renewed, but overall telehealth was never made to be a permanent all-inclusive option in Medicare. It was only intended as something temporary to improve health access during a global health crisis.
Who does this impact? Directly it will impact Medicare patients, as their access to health care shifts to in-person only visits for the majority of individuals.
But one of the concerns long-term is that Medicare sets the stage for a lot of regulations other insurance companies to follow. So, if Medicare takes away telehealth options for patients, then any other health insurances companies like Blue Cross Blue Shield, United, Aetna and more may also shift their telehealth options.
Why can’t medical offices still offer telehealth services? Simply put, reimbursement. Medical offices cannot offer services that are not reimbursed because they will not be able to make money to operate. So, instead, medical offices will have to focus on in-person visits as those will be reimbursed for the medical services provided.
Unless the medical office does not bill insurance companies, such as in the direct primary care offered at Harris Family Health, then the medical offices will have to optimize billable opportunities because of the need for insurance reimbursements. Places like Harris Family Health are able to still provide telehealth and virtual appointments because they do not bill insurance and have their services covered through memberships.
Keep an eye out for how telehealth services change in April. Maybe there will be an expansion of the current telehealth options. But maybe there won’t be, and we will see the impact of less telehealth options.
Hopefully, things will be addressed so telehealth options stay an option, but at this time, March 31will be the last time Medicare covers full spectrum telehealth services.
Dr. Aisha Harris, MD, is a Flint native and board-certified family medicine doctor at Harris Family Health in Flint, Michigan. Harris Family Health is a membership-based clinic that provides personalized and full primary care to adults and children. Learn more about Harris Family Health by visiting www.harrisfamilyhealth.com.
Feel free to submit health questions to Dr. Harris via theflintcouriernews@gmail.com.
