Telehealth may Increase Medicare Patient Hospitalizations,Costs

Recent research indicates that increased use of telehealth among Medicare patients may lead to higher rates of hospitalizations and overall healthcare costs. The study found that high telehealth usage is linked to more frequent clinician encounters, which subsequently result in more hospital admissions, including potentially preventable ones. Despite the promise of telehealth for improving access and convenience, these findings suggest that for Medicare beneficiaries, it may exacerbate healthcare utilization and expenses rather than mitigate them. This trend raises concerns about the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of telehealth services, emphasizing the need for careful integration and monitoring to ensure that telehealth contributes positively to patient outcomes and healthcare system sustainability.