U.S. telehealth claim lines increased 4,347 percent among privately insured individuals from March 2019 to March 2020, according to data released June 2 from FAIR Health.
In March 2019, telehealth claim lines made up 0.17 percent of all medical claim lines, but that number rose to 7.52 percent in March 2020. The increase was most drastic in the Northeast, the region hit hardest by the COVID-19 pandemic in March, which experienced an increase of 15,503 percent.
The data also revealed that hypertension was one of the most-diagnosed conditions in March 2020, but not in March 2019 or February 2020. This finding suggests that pandemic-induced stress is contributing to a rise in high blood pressure across communities nationwide.
Access state-by-state data here.