With the rise of COVID-19 came a corresponding increase in telehealth use. And while the number of virtual care visits have fallen since its initial spike in 2020, usage remains comparatively high from pre-COVID levels… an indication that telehealth isn’t going away anytime soon.
The MedBen Analytics chart below shows telehealth activity for MedBen’s total client block from January 2020 through June 2022. Before COVID-19, telehealth represented less than one-half percent of total office visits – today the proportion is closer to 4-5 percent.
Telehealth has proven particularly popular for mental health visits. For MedBen clients, mood and anxiety disorders, depression and other mental health conditions have accounted for over half of telehealth diagnoses since the pandemic started (see chart below). Likewise, a recent report determined that mental health conditions have consistently appeared among the top telehealth diagnoses across the country.
You can review telehealth use for your plan by accessing MedBen Analytics and selecting the COVID-19 Impact Dashboard. If you have questions, contact your Account Management team.