Association between state payment parity policies and telehealth usage at community health centers during COVID-19.

ABSTRACT:

Objective

We study the association between payment parity policies and telehealth utilization at community health centers (CHCs) before, during, and after the onset of the pandemic.

Materials and methods

We use aggregated, de-identified data from FAIR Health for privately insured patients at CHC sites. Descriptive statistics and time trends are calculated. Logistic regression models were used to quantify the factors associated with telehealth utilization for each of our time periods: 1) pre-pandemic (March-June 2019), 2) immediate pandemic response (March-June 2020), and 3) sustained pandemic response (March-June 2021).

Results

Telehealth usage rates at CHC sites surged to approximately 61% in April 2020. By April 2021, only 29% of CHC sites in states without payment

SUBMITTER: Erikson C 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9384471 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature