US insurers cutting telehealth coverage as COVID-19 cases surge

After changing policies to cover telehealth more broadly during the pandemic, some insurers are scaling it back even as COVID-19 cases surge in some states, according to USA Today.

For example, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas, where cases have soared in the past week, said in the last two weeks that its expiration date for expanded telehealth coverage is Aug. 31. Other insurers plan to reduce telehealth coverage for virtual visits in September, according to the report.

Aetna began charging patients co-payments and cost-sharing for telehealth on June 4., and Cigna said it will end expanded telehealth coverage July 31.

Some Arizona insurers had begun to decrease telehealth coverage as hospital ICUs filled with COVID-19 patients, but reversed course with last-minute changes. Physicians are checking insurance company websites daily or weekly to make sure they're current with telehealth coverage policies.

Some employer health plans have not been required to expand telehealth coverage.

Copyright © 2025 Becker's Healthcare. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy. Cookie Policy. Linking and Reprinting Policy.


You can unsubscribe from these communications at any time. For more information, please review our Privacy Policy
.
 

Articles We Think You'll Like

 

Thank you so much for your interest in our content. Please register to access this complimentary archived content. By registering, you will receive our newsletter which can be opted out of at any time.

 

 

Already Registered? Click here to confirm.