Over the same period, telehealth audio-only primary care visits decreased from 67% to 21% and video visits grew from 4% to 7%. The study found that between April 2020 and August 2022 the proportion of in-person primary care visits increased from 30% to 71%, while in-person behavioral health visits rose from 20% to 37%. It included data about in-person and telehealth visits (video and audio-only) from February 2019 to August 2022. The study covered 30 multi-site FQHCs providing care for about 1.3 million lower-income California residents, mostly in rural areas of the state. While telehealth use has diminished since the early days of the pandemic, the study found that as of August 2022 about 20% of primary care visits and 39% of behavioral health visits at the state’s Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) were audio only. This would ensure that seniors in rural areas have the freedom to receive their preferred form of telehealth from home.Telehealth visits became a common way to provide health care early in the COVID-19 pandemic, and a new study shows that even two years later audio-only visits were being used relatively frequently for primary care and behavioral health services at California safety net clinics. Smith and Flores’ legislation would allow providers to offer quality, lifesaving audio-only telehealth services to Medicare patients on a permanent basis.Īdditionally, the bill maintains current audio-only policies, including waiving geographic and originating site restrictions to allow Medicare beneficiaries’ homes to be telehealth originating sites for audio-only telehealth services. Unfortunately, these telehealth flexibilities are slated to expire only about 5 months after the end of the COVID-19 public health emergency. For these patients, an audio-only telehealth visit may be the only option besides foregoing needed care. Additionally, seniors or at-risk populations may have physical limitations that prevent them from using video communications. This has been a lifeline to low-income and rural patients who, for example, may have trouble accessing technology or broadband services supporting video communications. In order to help facilitate the use of telehealth among Medicare patients, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) allowed health care providers to offer audio-only telehealth services under Medicare and Medicaid plans during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“If enacted, it would also significantly increase access for those in rural settings and those who primarily speak Spanish or languages other than English- anywhere cellphone reception is available.” “This bill is crucial in ensuring expanded healthcare access in my district and across the country,” said Flores. Representative Mayra Flores on this important effort to protect seniors’ access to critical, and often lifesaving, audio-only telehealth services.”
“With this innovative and convenient method of health care delivery, hardworking seniors are able to get the quality care they need without having to travel long distances, even when they don’t have access to the internet. “The pandemic has shown just how invaluable audio-only telehealth services are for patients who live in rural or underserved communities,” said Smith. The legislation would help ensure Medicare recipients who cannot access the video component during telehealth visits are able to access care through audio-only. Representatives Jason Smith (Mo.), a member of the House Ways and Means Committee, and Mayra Flores (Texas) announced that they have introduced legislation that would require Medicare to permanently cover audio-only telehealth services for beneficiaries.
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