Eric Gulko Weighs In on the Future of Telehealth — And How it’s Impacted by Insurer Payments
Innovo Benefits Group Recognized as One of Massachusetts’ Largest Employee-Benefits Firms
January 17, 2023
Lifestyle Spending Accounts — Why They Benefit Your Employees and Your Workplace
April 7, 2023Innovo Benefits Group President Eric Gulko was asked to participate in an important discussion about the future of telehealth, and how insurers are choosing to pay for remote health services.
In the March 13, 2023, Boston Globe article Telehealth at a crossroads: When does it work best? What should it cost? the Globe's health policy and public health reporter Felice J. Freyer spoke with a number of voices in the healthcare space — doctors, insurers, policymakers, and benefits professionals — to assess the future of telehealth as a healthcare option.
“At some point we’ve got to start leveraging this tool of telehealth to keep the cost of health insurance in check long term,” said Innovo Benefits Group President Eric P. Gulko, J.D.
During the pandemic, many healthcare providers had to adapt and leverage technology to support remote patient visits. Now, as more and more people have returned to in-person interactions, many insurers are rethinking how to handle payments for telehealth appointments compared to office visits.
More than just the cost of insurance (which is shared by everyone) needs to be considered, but also the patient's share of the costs as they receive services. For example, an HSA plan and a remote sick visit — the cost difference is passed on to the patient, so the patient should save when they are doing a quick remote call with the doctor as opposed to going in for an office visit.
Read the full Boston Globe article here.