Journal of Urgent Care Medicine

Over Half of Kaiser Permanente Member–Physician Encounters Are Now Virtual

Kaiser Permanente’s heavy investment in information technology seems to be paying off, as more than half of the insurer’s 100 million-plus member–physician interactions now take place virtually. Members have said they appreciate the convenience of being able to “see” a doctor outside the office, reflecting broader trends toward healthcare consumerism (especially among young adults). The fact that 95% of Kaiser Permanente members are covered on a capitated basis frees network physicians from worries other clinicians …

Cost Benefit Becoming Key for Employers Eying Telemedicine

Previous analysis of how viable telemedicine could become has focused on providing access for residents of underserved rural areas and cutting down on lost productivity time for employees. Now, with state legislatures around the country approving laws that demand parity for telemedicine, employers and payers are looking more closely at the economics of offering coverage for remote physician encounters. IHS Technology projects that annual spending on telehealth will rise to $2.2 billion in 2018, up …

‘Out of State’ Doesn’t Mean You’re Out of Range for Telehealth Patients in Alaska

Alaska is the latest of many states marching toward adoption of new telehealth bills, but legislators there has been typically “maverick” in their approach to adopting such new technologies. The interesting thing about that state’s soon-to-be signed law is that physicians won’t have to be in-state in order to prescribe for Alaskans. In addition to removing in-state presence requirements for prescribing via telemedicine, SB 74 will pave the way for patients to connect with occupational …

Intermountain Healthcare Joins the Telehealth Revolution

Add Intermountain Healthcare to the growing list of large healthcare providers that offer patients the chance to connect with a physician from the comfort of their own phone. IHC’s Connect Care will be available 24 hours a day, seven days a week and charge a flat fee of $49. Patients who the provider thinks need to be seen right away will get a referral and not be charged for the virtual visit. IHC operates 31 …

Urgent Care Operators Look to Telehealth to See More Patients

Six months after it started offering video visits through Doctor on Demand and American Well, UnitedHealthcare says it expects to “see” 20 million patients that way by the end of 2016. More than half of the visits, to date, have been for respiratory issues. Statistically, the average user is a 31-year-old female. UnitedHealthcare says the vast majority of employers it covers like the idea, but have concerns about how many of their workers will actually …

Cost Concerns Have Medicare Lagging in Telemedicine

Medicare has more restrictive rules for telehealth payments than Medicaid and many private insurers, despite the fact that virtual doctor visits are perceived to be of particular benefit to seniors who have a hard time making it to the clinic. The concern—expressed by some private payers, as well—is that patients would access telemedicine then end up seeing a clinician in person anyway, resulting in a double-hit for the insurer. Medicare reserves telehealth payment mainly for …