In August, Overweight and Obesity Entered the National Top Five Telehealth Diagnostic Categories for First Time This Year
Acute Respiratory Diseases and Infections Reentered the National Top Five Telehealth Diagnostic Categories after Being outside the Top Five in July
Telehealth Utilization Increased Nationally and in Every US Census Region
NEW YORK, NY—November 14, 2024—In August 2024, overweight and obesity entered the national top five telehealth diagnostic categories for the first time this year, according to FAIR Health’s Monthly Telehealth Regional Tracker. Overweight and obesity joined the national rankings in fifth position, replacing joint/soft tissue diseases and issues. The data represent the commercially insured population, excluding Medicare Fee-for-Service, Medicare Advantage and Medicaid.
Acute respiratory diseases and infections reentered the national top five telehealth diagnostic categories after being outside the top five in July, taking the place of hypertension in the third position. Acute respiratory diseases and infections also rejoined the rankings in the Northeast for the first time since April, entering in the fourth position, moving substance use disorders to the fifth position and endocrine and metabolic disorders off the list. In the South, acute respiratory diseases and infections climbed from the fourth to the second position, while encounter for examination fell from the second to the fifth position.
In the West, diabetes mellitus regained the fifth position in the rankings, replacing COVID-19, which had occupied that position in July. Nationally and in every region, mental health conditions remained in the first position.
Utilization
In August 2024, telehealth utilization increased nationally and in every US census region after declining in July. Nationally, telehealth claim lines rose from 4.74 percent of medical claim lines in July to 4.96 percent in August, an increase of 4.6 percent. 1 In the West, the telehealth share of medical claim lines increased 5.0 percent; in the South, it rose 3.5 percent; in the Northeast, it rose 2.7 percent; and in the Midwest, it grew 1.6 percent.
Specialties
In August 2024, at the national level, psychiatric nurse rose from the fourth to the third position while psychiatrist fell from the third to the fourth position in the rankings of the top five telehealth provider specialties. At the regional level, the rankings stayed the same as in July. Social worker remained in the first position nationally and in all regions.
Mental Health Diagnoses
There was no change in the rankings of the top five mental health diagnoses from July to August 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.
Age
In August 2024, as in July, 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.
Monthly Cost Spotlight
Nationally, and in the South, the median allowed amount2 for CPT®3 97153 (adaptive behavior treatment by technician using an established plan, each 15 minutes) in August 2024 was the same ($15) for both telehealth and office. In the Northeast, the amount was higher when rendered via telehealth ($20) than in an office ($16). In the Midwest and West, the office cost was higher: In the Midwest, the telehealth cost was $14 and the office cost $15; in the West, the telehealth cost was $13 and the office cost $15.
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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1A claim line is an individual service or procedure listed on an insurance claim.
2 An allowed amount is the total fee paid to the provider under an insurance plan. It includes the amount that the health plan pays and the part the patient pays under the plan’s in-network cost-sharing provisions (e.g., copay or coinsurance if the patient has met the deductible).
3CPT © 2023 American Medical Association (AMA). All rights reserved.
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