AARP Hearing Center
Among people with private health insurance, the use of telehealth was virtually nonexistent in 2019. However, nearly one in five used telehealth the following year, coinciding with the beginning of the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency (PHE). Telehealth remained popular among people with private coverage in 2021 and remains widespread compared with pre-pandemic levels.
Telehealth is the use of communications technologies to deliver health care services remotely, via video or audio-only. This paper assesses changes in telehealth use from 2019 to 2021 among people younger than 65 who are enrolled in private, employer-sponsored insurance (ESI) plans, which insure nearly two-thirds of Americans under age 65. It examines how Americans used telehealth in the first two years of the pandemic and how telehealth use differed by demographic factors such as age, urban versus rural residence, and income, as well as social determinants of health (SDOH) indicators. The paper concludes with a discussion of policy implications based on the findings.
Key Takeaways
Among people in the United States with private, employer-based health insurance:
- Telehealth use soared in 2020, driven by pandemic-related factors. Adults ages 55 to 64 were more likely to use telehealth compared with younger individuals.
- The share of people using telehealth fell slightly in 2021. Use of telehealth among adults ages 55 to 64 dropped from 25 percent in 2020 to 18.4 percent in 2021.
- Individuals living in rural areas had lower telehealth use than did their urban counterparts in 2021 (10.5 percent versus 17.1 percent).
- Mental health care was the most common service accessed via telehealth, representing over half of claims in 2021.
- Factors associated with higher levels of telehealth use include median household income, mental health provider density, and broadband availability.
Conclusion
Telehealth has the potential to improve access to health care and can be an especially important tool for those with limited access to in-person providers. However, policymakers will need to address the digital divide and ensure that telehealth helps reduce—rather than perpetuate—health inequities.
Read the full report for detailed discussion of the policy implications of these findings.
MORE FROM AARP
Medicare’s Accountable Care Organization REACH Model Aims to Improve Equity and Access to Care
This Spotlight describes the key features of the Accountable Care Organizations (ACO) REACH initiative, explains its potential to benefit people who receive services through this model, and identifies some challenges policymakers may need to consider in assessing the model’s success.