Available for Interviews: John Rodriguez, MD
Dr. John Rodriguez is a Chief Medical Officer of Healthcare2U and is passionate about the care provided to their patients. He manages all the care providers in Healthcare2U’s network of clinics and oversees care protocols and training.
What Dr. Rodriguez can say in an interview about
The Decline in Telehealth:
During the pandemic, the use of virtual doctor’s appointments, also known as “telehealth,” exploded. In 2021, 37 percent of adults used telemedicine.1 People soon realized telehealth was a safe way to get the care they needed without having to (1) commute to a doctor’s office, (2) take extra time off work for an appointment, or (3) worry about possible exposure to a multitude of diseases.
If we realized how great telehealth was, why is its use steadily declining? The answer isn’t simple, as it involves patient preferences, insurance companies, and the government.
Why the use of telehealth has declined
- Patients prefer face-to-face time with their doctor (although many enjoy the ease that comes with telehealth, the option of virtual care hasn’t had as big an impact on consumer preferences for having in-office visits). Some patients don’t necessarily like that the telehealth provider is usually not their primary physician.2
- Insurance coverage for telehealth is running out—commercial insurance reimbursements are state-dependent, and some states, like Texas, require telehealth to be paid at the same rate as in person. Some states allow less, and these rates have not drastically changed since the pandemic. At the end of the day, the federal government calls the shots, and Medicare reimbursement for telehealth is confirmed to stay in place until at least the end of 2023, but at that point, the government could say the emergency is over and decrease coverage for telehealth or stop paying for it altogether, which means that commercial insurance would follow suit.3
The decline is happening for several reasons, but mostly the COVID-19 scare is to blame; now that it’s over, patients would rather see their provider in person, though they may still use telehealth for acute visits. The Biden Administration recently declared that the national coronavirus emergency will end on May 11, 2023.4 At some point after that, telehealth reimbursement will stop or be drastically reduced because the pandemic is over, and the federal government will say “no more.”
Visit www.healthc2u.com for more information. Healthcare2U is the nation’s fastest-growing hybrid Direct Primary Care organization.
Interview: John Rodriguez, MD
Dr. John Rodriguez is a Chief Medical Officer of Healthcare2U and is passionate about the care provided to their patients. He manages all the care providers in Healthcare2U’s network of clinics and oversees care protocols and training.
Dr. Rogriguez co-founded Healthcare2U to ensure that organizations of all sizes and structures have unlimited, nationwide access to affordable and consistent primary and urgent care. He has over 20 years of experience working in private practice as an attending physician with one of the most prestigious healthcare systems in the country, Baylor Health Care Systems. Dr. Rodriguez and his company have been featured on Fox News Channel’s Fox & Friends and in publications like BenefitsPro, America’s Benefit Specialist, and Broker World.
Contact:
Jo Allison
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MEDIA AMBASSADORS
Success In Media, Inc.
Jo@SuccessInMedia.com
Sources
- Products – Data Briefs – Number 445 – October 2022 (cdc.gov)
- Telehealth Visit Volumes Drop 37% Since Peak Usage During Pandemic (mhealthintelligence.com)
- Telehealth policy changes after the COVID-19 public health emergency | Telehealth.HHS.gov
- Report: Telehealth declines while industry faces pressure from retail entrants | MobiHealthNews
- What Happens When COVID-19 Emergency Declarations End? Implications for Coverage, Costs, and Access | KFF