Most of the big health plans brought major changes in coverage to help providers use connected care, according to an analysis of telehealth coverage by private players during the coronavirus pandemic.

This study was done by the Center for Connected Health Policy (CCHP), and it suggests that inspite of the fact that most of the changes are temporary, the large payers will change the reimbursement landscape even after the COVID-19 public health emergency to incorporate more virtual care services.

The report says these changes have given private payers with a unique opportunity to relook at their telehealth coverage policies as per the utilization trends and consumer preferences triggered by COVID-19.

CCHP targeted seven of the largest health plans for this report:

Anthem, Kaiser Permanente/Foundation, CIGNA, United Healthcare, Aetna, Humana, the Health Care Services Corporation (BCBS).

According to the review of the policies that were implemented up to November 25, 2020, all seven voluntarily expanded coverage for their commercial health plans to combat the challenges posed by the pandemic.

Most of the big payers waived cost-sharing meant for telehealth services. They also extended these waivers to non-COVID-19 treatments like urgent, primary care and behavioral health visits.

Most of them enacted payment parity while four out of the seven added limited coverage for out-of-network telehealth services.

Few states have decided to make some or all their measures permanent by allowing telehealth coverage post-crisis. Others wait and watch for the Congress post-COVID-19 telehealth policy.

The CCHP report questions about how the private payer market affected by the state laws, often following the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), will shape its telehealth policy in the future.

This would depend on how these payers look at telehealth being used during the pandemic. It may grant health systems, hospitals and other providers more reasons to create success with connected health.