Telehealth availability and use among beneficiaries in Traditional Medicare and Medicare Advantage.
Medicare Advantage
Traditional Medicare
telehealth availability
telehealth use
Journal
Journal of the American Geriatrics Society
ISSN: 1532-5415
Titre abrégé: J Am Geriatr Soc
Pays: United States
ID NLM: 7503062
Informations de publication
Date de publication:
06 Sep 2024
06 Sep 2024
Historique:
revised:
02
08
2024
received:
06
05
2024
accepted:
17
08
2024
medline:
6
9
2024
pubmed:
6
9
2024
entrez:
6
9
2024
Statut:
aheadofprint
Résumé
Medicare Advantage (MA) plans must cover all telehealth services offered by Traditional Medicare (TM), but have flexibility to provide additional telehealth services. It is not known whether these flexibilities are associated with telehealth availability and use. In this study, we examined differences in telehealth availability and use between TM and MA beneficiaries. This cross-sectional study analyzed beneficiaries who participated in the 2021 Medicare Current Beneficiary Survey. Our primary outcomes were telehealth availability and use, assessed both overall and by modality (telephone only, video only, and both). Our key independent variable was full-year enrollment in MA versus TM. Differences in outcomes between TM and MA beneficiaries were estimated using logistic regression models that adjusted for beneficiary characteristics. The analysis of telehealth availability included all beneficiaries in the sample, while the analysis of telehealth use was limited to those offered telehealth services. In a secondary analysis, we examined differences between TM and MA beneficiaries in the availability of technology that may enable telehealth use and experience using the internet to seek information. Among 8130 Medicare beneficiaries, MA beneficiaries were 2.9 (95% CI: 0.6-5.2) percentage points more likely to have a provider who offered telehealth services than TM beneficiaries, including both telephone and video options. However, MA beneficiaries were 3.5 (-6.7, -0.4) percentage points less likely to use telehealth services than TM beneficiaries. Video-only options were used less frequently among MA beneficiaries compared to those in TM (-2.7 [-5.1, -0.3]). Despite lower telehealth use, MA beneficiaries had comparable or higher rates of technology access and internet experience compared to TM beneficiaries. Our findings suggest that greater access to telehealth services among MA beneficiaries did not translate into greater telehealth use. Future research is warranted to explore the underlying mechanisms behind lower use of telehealth services among MA beneficiaries.
Sections du résumé
BACKGROUND
BACKGROUND
Medicare Advantage (MA) plans must cover all telehealth services offered by Traditional Medicare (TM), but have flexibility to provide additional telehealth services. It is not known whether these flexibilities are associated with telehealth availability and use. In this study, we examined differences in telehealth availability and use between TM and MA beneficiaries.
METHODS
METHODS
This cross-sectional study analyzed beneficiaries who participated in the 2021 Medicare Current Beneficiary Survey. Our primary outcomes were telehealth availability and use, assessed both overall and by modality (telephone only, video only, and both). Our key independent variable was full-year enrollment in MA versus TM. Differences in outcomes between TM and MA beneficiaries were estimated using logistic regression models that adjusted for beneficiary characteristics. The analysis of telehealth availability included all beneficiaries in the sample, while the analysis of telehealth use was limited to those offered telehealth services. In a secondary analysis, we examined differences between TM and MA beneficiaries in the availability of technology that may enable telehealth use and experience using the internet to seek information.
RESULTS
RESULTS
Among 8130 Medicare beneficiaries, MA beneficiaries were 2.9 (95% CI: 0.6-5.2) percentage points more likely to have a provider who offered telehealth services than TM beneficiaries, including both telephone and video options. However, MA beneficiaries were 3.5 (-6.7, -0.4) percentage points less likely to use telehealth services than TM beneficiaries. Video-only options were used less frequently among MA beneficiaries compared to those in TM (-2.7 [-5.1, -0.3]). Despite lower telehealth use, MA beneficiaries had comparable or higher rates of technology access and internet experience compared to TM beneficiaries.
CONCLUSION
CONCLUSIONS
Our findings suggest that greater access to telehealth services among MA beneficiaries did not translate into greater telehealth use. Future research is warranted to explore the underlying mechanisms behind lower use of telehealth services among MA beneficiaries.
Types de publication
Journal Article
Langues
eng
Sous-ensembles de citation
IM
Informations de copyright
© 2024 The American Geriatrics Society.
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