Nearly 44% of primary care visits for Medicare fee-for-service beneficiaries were telehealth visits in April, up from 0.1% in February, according to a report released this week by the Department of Health and Human Services.

Medicare fee-for-service telehealth visits for primary care climbed from about 14,000 per week before the COVID-19 pandemic to 1.3 million per week in April, HHS said.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has waived Medicare geographic and originating site restrictions on telehealth and expanded the list of telehealth-eligible services and practitioners during the emergency.

HHS Secretary Alex Azar said the report “shows that Medicare providers and beneficiaries rapidly embraced these new opportunities. The meteoric rise of telehealth during the pandemic has not only helped us combat the virus, but also prompted a new conversation around the future of patient-centered care."

AHA has urged Congress and the Administration to ensure flexibilities remain in place after the public health emergency, as well as to reimburse virtual services on par with in-person care. For more information, see the new AHA factsheet on the future of telehealth.

Related News Articles

Headline
A bipartisan group of 60 senators April 2 reintroduced the CONNECT for Health Act, AHA-supported legislation that would expand patient access to telehealth…
Headline
The AHA today urged the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission to take specific actions on physician fee schedule payments following recommendations the…
Headline
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services April 4 finalized changes to the Medicare Advantage and prescription drug programs for contract year 2026. The…
Chairperson's File
Public
Rural hospitals and health systems face big challenges, but together — with a unified voice — we can work to ensure people living in rural communities get the…
Headline
The Department of Health and Human Services March 27 announced a series of actions as part of a department-wide restructuring. The department said the moves…
Headline
The Senate Finance Committee March 14 held a confirmation hearing on Mehmet Oz's nomination for administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid…