Expanding Medicare coverage of telemedicine during the pandemic increased odds of use among minority populations and patients in metropolitan areas, a new study found.
The study, overseen by Johns Hopkins University, was published in Health Affairs and looked at 30 million Medicare claims between 2019 and 2021. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) expanded telemedicine coverage to patients across the country in March 2020. Prior to the waiver, telemedicine was only covered for beneficiaries in designated rural areas or specific medical facilities.
