Behind the Science: Behind the Future of Telehealth

Telehealth usage has soared. An HHS report says Medicare telehealth visits increased 63-fold between 2019 and 2020, although it has tapered off some since. Some of that increase can be attributed to the relaxation of Medicare rules that were part of the federal government’s declaration of a public health emergency (PHE). The PHE has been extended another 90 days and an appropriations bill earlier this year said the waivers of the telehealth rules will extend 151 days after the public health emergency is over. Still, there are lot of questions about which if the waivers might be made permanent and how that will affect the usage of telehealth.