The Impact Of Telemedicine On Medicare Utilization, Spending, And Quality, 2019–22

Telemedicine use remains substantially higher than it was before the COVID-19 pandemic, although it has fallen from pandemic highs. To inform the ongoing debate about whether to continue payment for telemedicine visits, this report estimated the association of greater telemedicine use across health systems with utilization, spending, and quality. In 2020, Medicare patients receiving care at health systems in the highest quartile of telemedicine use had 2.5 telemedicine visits per person, compared with 0.7 telemedicine visits per person in the lowest quartile of telemedicine use. In 2021–22, relative to those in the lowest quartile, Medicare patients of health systems in the highest quartile had an increase of 0.21 total outpatient visits (telemedicine and in-person) per patient per year, a decrease of 14.4 annual non-COVID-19 emergency department visits per 1,000 patients per year, a $248 increase in per patient per year spending, and increased adherence for metformin and statins. There were no clear differential changes in hospitalizations or receipt of preventive care.