covid-19 Archives - HealthPlanOptionsToday

What is Telemedicine?

Telemedicine is a relatively new concept in healthcare. It has been around for decades but only recently been accepted by state legislatures and private insurance providers.

The definition of telemedicine varies, but it usually refers to remote patient care with technologies like videoconferencing, teleradiology, and broadband internet. For some patients, using these types of technologies means they can get care without having to leave their homes or offices.
Telemedicine services may also allow patients to avoid expensive trips to emergency rooms for non-emergencies.

Does My Health Insurance Cover Telemedicine?

“The COVID-19 pandemic has probably changed the overall acceptance of telemedicine forever.”

Recently, telemedicine has emerged as an increasingly popular alternative to face-to-face visits with doctors. With most forms of medical treatment now covered by insurance plans, consumers have been wondering: what about telemedicine? How much does my health insurance cover for telemedicine visits? Which conditions will my plan cover via video conferencing – if any at all?

It turns out that whether your visit is covered will depend on where you live and your specific plan details. Policies vary from insurer to insurer, but many states now recognize that reducing the use of costly hospital admissions would help payers lower overall healthcare costs.

Coverage for telemedicine in insurance is impacted by laws and insurance company policies. While some are more progressive than others, many state legislatures and private health insurance providers are recognizing how telemedicine can reduce costs and keep people healthier.

The COVID-19 pandemic has probably changed the overall acceptance of telemedicine forever. The majority of states and most of the US territories changed their legislation to allow telemedicine on a temporary basis, and several of these states have kept this legislation permanently.

So before asking whether or which insurance allows telemedicine, it’s worth checking into whether or not your state allows telemedicine in the first place. A complete list by state is here; the list also includes which states have temporary pandemic policies in place. You can also give our health insurance hotline a call for further information.

How Can I Get Insurance That Includes Telemedicine?

If you would like to get insurance that includes coverage for telemedicine services, or if you’d check whether or not your insurance allows telemedicine, why not talk to one of our experts at our health insurance hotline? They’ll take time to understand your unique situation and will help you understand the available choices that suit your needs. Click the button below to reach out to us, and one of our experts will personally get in touch with you, or just call 855-218-3447 to speak with an expert directly.

Matchup Of The Year: Doctors vs. Health Insurance Companies

In what may be a historic development, the medical industry says that they don’t want to pass the costs directly to their patients. Instead, they say health insurance companies should pay for the extra costs (of course, this means that eventually these costs will be passed on to insured patients, but nobody is mentioning that).

Doctors in California believe in this idea so much that the California Medical Association, which is a statewide doctor’s organization, has sponsored a bill in the California state legislature that says that insurance companies should not only pay for the now-pricey personal protective equipment (PPE), but other pandemic-related expenses such as soap and other disinfectant, lost time, and even the protective fiberglass that separates office workers from patients.

“People are literally saying ‘well, maybe my knee doesn’t hurt that bad…’ and the insurance companies are turning record profits as a result”

The California Medical Association says that insurance companies have turned record profits throughout the last year, because outside of COVID-related issues, people have simply stayed inside instead of tending to non-life threatening medical issues, especially during the early months of the pandemic. In the meantime, few, if any health insurance companies have lowered their premiums in response, despite the reduced traffic. People are literally saying “well, maybe my knee doesn’t hurt that bad; I’ll take an Ibuprofen” and the insurance companies are turning record profits as a result. Since many of America’s largest insurers are publicly traded on the stock market, their profit information is only a Google search away- in recent quarters, major insurers have enjoyed not just above-average, but record profits.

A similar legal challenge that attempted to make medicaid and medicare foot doctors’ pandemic expenses bill has already failed on the federal level, but California isn’t the only state with active legislation like this. Washington state has already passed a law that creates a standard insurance charge for every medical visit that will help defray pandemic-related expenses. In addition, it’s likely that lobbyists and lawmakers in other states are watching the outcome of the California bill before writing their own pandemic expense bills. Also, the federal government has taken steps to help people some of the out-of-control medical costs at hospitals and doctors offices.

What Are Health Insurance Providers Saying About This?

If you thought that health insurance companies would not be going out quietly, you’re absolutely right. They’ve fiercely opposed these laws, saying that it’s not usually their responsibility to pay for these types of expenses. In addition, they say that many private doctor’s offices have already received federal help for their pandemic-related expenses. And this is true; in California, billions of dollars were dispersed to help doctors and dentists with pandemic-related expenses. Only time will tell about the outcome of this legislative battle.

How to Lower Your Health Insurance Costs

No matter how this law affects California and the rest of the nation, if you’re looking for health insurance that is customized just for you and your family’s unique needs and budget, then look no further than HealthPlanOptionsToday. Our team of certified experts is dedicated to understanding your situation and helping you find the best option available. Click the button below or call our hotline at 855-218-3447 to get started on your health insurance journey.

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