It’s Time to Cement Telehealth’s Place in U.S. Health Care

The use of telehealth soared during the pandemic and demonstrated its value in improving the delivery of and access to health care. But that increase in usage was made possible by the relaxation of federal and state waivers. To capitalize on what was learned during the pandemic, federal and state legislators should revamp regulations. Five priorities should guide their actions. One of the few positive side effects of the deadly and catastrophically disruptive Covid-19 pandemic has been the blossoming of telehealth. Though useful telehealth technology has been available for several years, adoption was slow until providers had to scale it up in a matter of weeks as a safe way to see and treat patients when clinics were closed. At the peak of pandemic usage, telehealth accounted for 13% of total outpatient encounters, up from just above zero in early 2020. Medicare telehealth utilization showed a 63-fold increase during the pandemic.