The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) this week released a report showing that traditional Medicare saw a dramatic increase in telehealth usage due to the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly in larger urban areas. While its use has leveled off, the report finds physicians still expect visits to be held via telehealth post-pandemic.
The report by the HHS Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation (APSE), which looked at telehealth visits from January through June 2020, found that virtual services made up 43.5 percent of Medicare primary care visits in April, a significant jump from February when telehealth accounted for less than 1 percent of visits. Usage dipped by May as in-person visits resumed but continued to remain significant compared to pre-pandemic.
The report also finds that providers in both rural and urban counties saw increases in telehealth adoption and utilization; however, providers in rural counties saw a smaller growth in telehealth visits as a proportion of all primary care visits in March and April, with a decrease again in May.
A recent survey of practitioners suggests continued interest in telehealth among healthcare providers. In the IQVIA survey of about 300 practitioners (oncologists, specialists, and primary care) between April 17 and 22, 2020, only 9 percent of respondents reported that their patient interaction was via telehealth prior to the pandemic; however, during the pandemic period usage increased to 51 percent, and respondents expected it to remain at 21 percent after the pandemic ends.
Read the full HHS report here.
Source: InsideHealthPolicy
Posted 7/31/2020
At the 2026 ASCO Annual Meeting, the Louisiana Oncology Society received the ASCO Jeffrey C Ward Affiliate Advocacy Award for advancing critical advocacy priorities that have translated into meaningful legislative victories. The Iowa Oncology Society and Washington State Medical Oncology Society were also recognized for their advocacy efforts in 2025 at the meeting, receiving second place awards.
