Before COVID-19, telehealth was already on the rise

As Americans follow stay-at-home orders and limit exposure to others, health officials and medical practitioners alike are encouraging patients to use telehealth services unless they are in need of critical care.

Offering a broad range of services from primary care to remote monitoring ­­– including blood pressure, fetal health, diabetes and virtual ICUs – to behavioral health and treatment for addiction, utilizing telehealth allows patients to receive the care they need without unnecessary risk of exposure, further spreading of COVID-19 or adding additional strain to the health care system. 
 

On March 19, all 36 locally based, independently operated Blue Cross and Blue Shield companies and the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Federal Employee Program® announced expanded coverage for telehealth services for 90 days. Also, the recently enacted CARES Act includes a provision for coverage of telehealth visits with no deductible for both COVID-19 related services and those not related to the virus.

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