By Mandy Fogle, Healthcare Value Engineering at Shift Technology
Prior to COVID, only 15% of healthcare providers used telehealth services. When the pandemic hit, telehealth made up to ~50% of medical appointments. As telehealth increased in popularity and gave consumers access to necessary services, the federal government relaxed the requirements for reimbursement at the peak of the pandemic to allow consumers more access to these services.
However, the increased need for telehealth has also ushered billions of dollars in fraud-related schemes, encompassing anything from simple fraudulent behavior like providers overbilling a visit by a couple of minutes, to sophisticated schemes involving telemarketers and DMEs.
With sky high satisfaction rates among users and return appointments expected, telehealth is here to stay. Providers must work in tandem with insurers to better protect themselves for the future of healthcare access.
