In July, Telehealth Utilization Decreased Nationally and in Every US Census Region

Both Acute Respiratory Diseases and Infections and Encounter for Examination Fell Out of the National Top Five Telehealth Diagnostic Categories for the First Time in 2024

Hypertension and Joint/Soft Tissue Diseases and Issues Entered the Top Five Diagnostic Categories Nationally for the First Time This Year

NEW YORK, Oct. 16, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — In July 2024, telehealth utilization decreased nationally and in every US census region, according to FAIR Health’s Monthly Telehealth Regional Tracker. Nationally, telehealth claim lines fell from 4.89 percent of medical claim lines in June to 4.74 percent in July, a decrease of 3.0 percent.¹ In the West, the telehealth share of medical claim lines decreased 3.3 percent; in the Midwest and Northeast, it fell 1.7 percent; and in the South, it fell 1.0 percent. The data represent the commercially insured population, excluding Medicare Fee-for-Service, Medicare Advantage and Medicaid.

Diagnostic Categories
Nationally, for the first time in 2024, acute respiratory diseases and infections dropped out of the top five telehealth diagnostic categories in July. Similarly, encounter for examination fell out of the national top five for the first time this year. In third position in June, acute respiratory diseases and infections were replaced by hypertension in July, while encounter for examination, which held fifth position in June, was replaced by joint/soft tissue diseases and issues in July. Neither hypertension nor joint/soft tissue diseases and issues had been in the national top five telehealth diagnostic categories in 2024 prior to July.

Also for the first time in 2024, COVID-19 entered the top five telehealth diagnostic categories in the West, in fifth position, with 1.6 percent of telehealth claim lines in July. COVID-19 replaced diabetes mellitus, which had been in fifth position in June.

Mental health conditions remained the top-ranking diagnostic category nationally and in every region, accounting for over 50 percent of telehealth claim lines everywhere.

Mental Health Diagnoses
There was no change in the rankings of the top five mental health diagnoses from June to July 2024. Nationally and in every region, the top five mental health diagnoses in both months were: generalized anxiety disorder, major depressive disorder, adjustment disorders, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder. Together, generalized anxiety disorder and major depressive disorder accounted for more than 50 percent of mental health telehealth claim lines nationally and in every region in both months.

Specialties
From June to July 2024, at the national level, nurse practitioner replaced psychology to become the fifth most common in the rankings of the top five telehealth provider specialties. In the Midwest, nurse practitioner and psychiatric nurse switched positions again, as they had in June; in July, nurse practitioner fell to fourth position and psychiatric nurse rose to third. The rankings of the top five telehealth provider specialties remained unchanged in the Northeast, South and West.

Social worker remained in the first position nationally and in all regions.

Age
In July 2024, as in June, the age group 31-40 accounted for the largest share of telehealth claim lines nationally and in all regions, while the age group 19-30 accounted for the second largest share everywhere. In both months, the age groups 19-30 and 31-40 each accounted for between 20 and 30 percent of telehealth claim lines nationally and in every region.

Costs
Nationally and in every region, the median allowed amount² for CPT^®3 90846 (family psychotherapy without patient, 50 minutes) in July 2024 was higher when rendered via telehealth than in an office. The highest values for both telehealth ($105) and office ($98) occurred in the West. In the Midwest, the telehealth cost was $100 and the office cost $95. Nationally and in the Northeast, the telehealth cost was $97 and the office cost was $94. In the South, the telehealth cost was $92, and the office cost was $88.

About the Monthly Telehealth Regional Tracker
Launched in May 2020 as a free service, the Monthly Telehealth Regional Tracker uses FAIR Health data to track how telehealth is evolving from month to month. An interactive map of the four US census regions allows the user to view an infographic on telehealth in a specific month in the nation as a whole or in individual regions. Each year, the infographic introduces varied views into telehealth utilization. In this fifth iteration of the Monthly Telehealth Regional Tracker, each infographic shows month-to-month changes in volume of telehealth claim lines; that month’s top five diagnostic categories, mental health diagnoses and specialties; age distribution; and the Place of Service Cost Corner, which compares median allowed amounts for a specific procedure provided via telehealth to the same procedure provided in an office.

FAIR Health President Robin Gelburd stated: “We are happy to share these varying windows into telehealth utilization as it continues to evolve. This is one of the many ways we pursue our healthcare transparency mission.”

For the Monthly Telehealth Regional Tracker, click here.

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About FAIR Health
FAIR Health is a national, independent nonprofit organization that qualifies as a public charity under section 501(c)(3) of the federal tax code. It is dedicated to bringing transparency to healthcare costs and health insurance information through data products, consumer resources and health systems research support. FAIR Health possesses the nation’s largest collection of commercial healthcare claims data, which includes over 48 billion claim records and is growing at a rate of over 3 billion claim records a year. FAIR Health licenses its commercial data and data products—including benchmark modules, data visualizations, custom analytics and market indices—to commercial insurers and self-insurers, employers, providers, hospitals and healthcare systems, government agencies, researchers and others. Certified by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) as a national Qualified Entity, FAIR Health also receives data representing the experience of all individuals enrolled in traditional Medicare Parts A, B and D, which accounts for a separate collection of over 48 billion claim records; FAIR Health includes among the commercial claims data in its database, data on Medicare Advantage enrollees. FAIR Health can produce insightful analytic reports and data products based on combined Medicare and commercial claims data for government, providers, payors and other authorized users. FAIR Health’s systems for processing and storing protected health information have earned HITRUST CSF certification and achieved AICPA SOC 2 Type 2 compliance by meeting the rigorous data security requirements of these standards. As a testament to the reliability and objectivity of FAIR Health data, the data have been incorporated in statutes and regulations around the country and designated as the official, neutral data source for a variety of state health programs, including workers’ compensation and personal injury protection (PIP) programs. FAIR Health data serve as an official reference point in support of certain state balance billing laws that protect consumers against bills for surprise out-of-network and emergency services. FAIR Health also uses its database to power a free consumer website available in English and Spanish, which enables consumers to estimate and plan for their healthcare expenditures and offers a rich educational platform on health insurance. An English/Spanish mobile app offers the same educational platform in a concise format and links to the cost estimation tools. The website has been honored by the White House Summit on Smart Disclosure, the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), URAC, the eHealthcare Leadership Awards, appPicker, Employee Benefit News and Kiplinger’s Personal Finance. For more information on FAIR Health, visit fairhealth.org.

Contact:
Rachel Kent
Executive Director of Communications and Marketing
FAIR Health
646-396-0795
rkent@fairhealth.org

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SOURCE FAIR Health