Medicare Beneficiaries’ Use of Telehealth in 2020: Trends by Beneficiary Characteristics and Location

This research report examines changes in Medicare fee-for-service Part B visits and use of telehealth in 2020 during the COVID-19 public health emergency (PHE) by beneficiary characteristics, provider specialty, and location. The analysis found that Medicare in-person visits dropped while telehealth visits increased significantly at the start of the pandemic. Subsequently, telehealth visits declined before plateauing by the end of 2020.  Visits to behavioral health specialists showed the largest increase in telehealth. Most telehealth visits were from the beneficiary's home. Disparities in telehealth were found by race/ethnicity, rural location, and geographic region.

Related Products:

• Medicare Beneficiary Use of Telehealth Visits: Early Data From the Start of the COVID-19 Pandemic
• State Medicaid Telehealth Policies Before and During the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency