Virtual Care

Congress passed a $1.5 trillion omnibus spending bill March 10 that allows employers to continue offering telehealth coverage to employees with health savings accounts before they meet an annual deductible, according to Bloomberg Law.

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina is extending its expanded telehealth reimbursement policy through Sept. 30, the health plan said March 10. 

The future of telehealth isn't that it will replace traditional employer plans, but rather pivot them to a hybrid model that emphasizes affordability and accessibility, according to a March report from Cigna subsidiary Evernorth. 

Anthem affiliates in 11 states are providing commercial members with access to virtual primary care with no or little additional costs, according to a Feb. 8 news release shared with Becker's.  

Virtual care isn't just seeing an increase in patient volume amid the COVID-19 pandemic, but also an increase in patient savings, according to a Cigna analysis shared with Becker's. 

While virtual healthcare plans continue to rise in popularity for offering immediate access to care at lower costs, they also have the potential to bring out the worst attributes in healthcare, Stamford (Conn.) Health CEO Kathleen Silard, BSN, RN, wrote…

New York-based Hydrogen Health, a joint venture between Anthem, investment firm Blackstone and digital primary care company K Health, is launching its virtual primary care offerings nationwide, the provider announced Dec. 9. 

Telehealth's boom amid the COVID-19 pandemic has served as a stepping stone for "virtual-first" health plans, a model that promotes telehealth as the first touchpoint in the care delivery process.