Overview

• Telehealth adoption soared from 23% in 2019 to 65% in 2021 as agencies turned to virtual visits to curb COVID-19 risks.
• By 2024, 19% of agencies that embraced telehealth during the pandemic had discontinued those services.
• The Medicare & Medicaid Services’ refusal to reimburse home health telehealth visits was cited by 55% of agencies as a primary reason for dropping virtual care.
• Sixty percent of discontinuing providers pointed to older patients’ technological literacy and clinical suitability concerns as barriers to sustained telehealth use.
• Researchers warn that reinstating telehealth reimbursement is crucial for agencies to meet rising home care demand and control long-term costs.