News Archive

A Pacific Northwest payer is expanding its telehealth platform in hopes that its 3 million members will get the health and wellness checkups they’ve skipped during the pandemic.

Regence has unveiled Virtual Primary Care, aimed at self-funded members in Washington, Oregon, Utah and Idaho. The platform, managed by telehealth provider MDLIVE, allows members to connect online with a primary care provider for virtual visits.

The Northwest Portland Area Indian Health Board has released a manual of Telehealth/Telepsychiatry Training and Technical Assistance Related to COVID-19. This guide will be circulated among tribal health directors and delegates. 

Increasing access to rehabilitation therapy services, including through audio and video telecommunications technology, can decrease healthcare costs by reducing hospital admissions, and readmissions, emergency department visits, and urgent care visits. Additionally, patients have improved adherence to treatment recommendations, leading to better outcomes. It is vital this important mode of therapy delivery continues to be broadly available after the pandemic ends.

Today, the Biden-Harris Administration is announcing key investments that will strengthen telehealth services in rural and underserved communities and expand telehealth innovation and quality nationwide. These investments—totaling over $19 million—are being distributed to 36 award recipients through the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)

The CMS 2021 Medicare Telehealth Fact Sheet is now live.  Medicare pays specific Part B physician or practitioner services provided through a telecommunications system. Telehealth services substitute for an in-person visit.

The state is targeting access to care and the digital divide with a federally funded program that will bring telehealth services and digital literacy training to 15 libraries serving underserved communities.