Telemedicine offerings can provide a convenient way for patients to receive consultations from their physicians. They can also reduce the cost of care, finds a report from telemedicine alliance Connect With Care.
The study, conducted by Red Quill Consulting, found the average estimated cost of a telehealth consultation between $40 and $50 per visit compared to the average estimated cost of an in-person visit of $136 to $176, leading to savings of up to $126.
Even for Medicare patients where telehealth services are reimbursed at the same rate as in-person consultations, the report indicates telehealth consultations could save Medicare approximately $45 per visit.
The report suggests lifting telehealth payment restrictions in the traditional Medicare fee-for-service program, as it will not incur more costs.
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The human touch of telemedicine: A primer on secure, reliable, patient-centric telemedicine solutions
USDA awards $8.6M in grants for rural telehealth