Will There Be a National Shortage of Physicians?
The prevailing point of view in recent years has been we will face a significant shortage of physicians because of the addition of previously uninsured Americans. In Health Attitude, I wrote there may not be a shortage of physicians, possibly even a surplus. I cited various technological factors, increasing usage of physician extenders, and the use of […]
Medicare Spent $14M for Telemedicine Last Year
Medicare reimbursed healthcare providers $14M for telemedicine in 2014. The spending represents continued growth but still a drop in the bucket. The bucket of money Medicare spent in 2014 was $600 billion. As a percentage the telemedicine spending was .002%. The focus of telemedicine in the past has been rural America. Patients hundreds of miles from a […]
Telehealth Is Closer Than Many Think
UnitedHealthcare, the largest healthcare insurer, has announced expanded coverage for virtual physician visits. The new coverage is limited initially to people in self-funded employer health plans. Online access to a physician can be by mobile phone, tablet, or desktop 24 hours a day. The American Telemedicine Association said more than 10 million consumers directly benefited from […]
