In the years leading up to the pandemic, health care delivery had been shifting towards telehealth. This made sense because many health care encounters did not need to be face-to-face. A number of ailments can be diagnosed via a live video conference with the physician. A number of treatments can be ordered via a live video conference with the physician.
A patient’s vital signs can be monitored with remote technology. A DME supplier can utilize technology to (i) assist the patient in setting up his equipment and (ii) educate the patient on how to use the equipment. In short, there are many scenarios in which a patient should not have to leave the confines of his home to receive health care.
Pre-pandemic, the shift towards telehealth had been led by commercial insurers, not by Medicare. Commercial insurers were more open to telehealth than the Medicare program. Insurers recognized the cost saving benefits of telehealth; Medicare was slow to follow the private sector’s lead.
But then COVID changed everything. Read more....