White House asks private insurers to sign pledge to expand telehealth benefits: 4 details

The Trump administration is asking private insurers to sign a pledge that would extend telehealth benefits to members over the long term, according to a statement from the White House.

Four things to know:

1. Last week during a virtual roundtable discussion on technology and telehealth, the White House launched the Pledge to Embrace Technology to Advance America's Health, asking health insurers to expand flexible and affordable telehealth options.

2. The pledge also calls on healthcare providers to accelerate telehealth adoption. There has been a 4,300 percent increase in telehealth utilization during the pandemic, according to a CMS analysis.

3. More than 50 healthcare organizations and stakeholders have already committed to the pledge, according to the White House statement.

4. The statement reiterated CMS' commitment to permanently expand telehealth benefits.

More articles on telehealth:
Avera Health taps UPMC, Amwell execs for national telehealth board
UCLA spearheads telemedicine program for opioid addiction patients at Maine clinic
Number of older adults using telehealth increased from 4% to 26% in 2020