Utilization of Telemedicine Among Rural Medicare Beneficiaries

Abstract

Telemedicine may increase access and improve quality, particularly in rural areas. 1 Because inadequate reimbursement may limit telemedicine use, 29 states have passed telemedicine parity laws mandating that commercial insurers reimburse telemedicine visits. Federal legislation has been proposed to expand Medicare telemedicine coverage. To inform the debate regarding telemedicine expansion, we describe trends in telemedicine utilization in Medicare from 2004-2013.