Which presidential candidate has earned the vote of telehealth providers?

Editor's Note: Welcome to Medical Economics' blog section which features contributions from members of the medical community. These blogs are an opportunity for bloggers to engage with readers about a topic that is top of mind, whether it is practice management, experiences with patients, the industry, medicine in general, or healthcare reform. The series continues with this blog by Jake DiBattista, a territory manager at SimpleVisit, a video service provider for physicians. The views expressed in these blogs are those of their respective contributors and do not represent the views of Medical Economics or UBM Medica.

 

With jobs being such a hot-button issue in the 2016 presidential race, it is only natural some telehealth providers wonder how the shifting political landscape may impact their career outlook. While telehealth might not be the focus of national debates, it certainly will continue to see political movement as adoption and technology become increasingly widespread.

 

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The American Telemedicine Association has been working diligently to lobby for greater coverage for telehealth in Medicare and as part of ACOs to create more affordable and accessible care. Telehealth has had notable success early on across the aisle because of its promise to empower patients, in addition to lowering the costs of providing care. Providers now must wonder if political unrest at the executive level will lead to a slowdown in the tide of telemedicine. Let’s take a look at where the top candidates stand on healthcare and how their views may impact the future of telemedicine.

Donald Trump

Donald Trump has promised to completely repeal the Affordable Care Act, or “Obamacare,” if he’s elected on the first day of his term. He has offered an alternative plan, built on broadening the powers of insurers to sell across state lines and consumers by improving price transparency, HSA saving, and tax deductions. He also supports block grant Medicaid which would give states a lump sum to operate and distribute among its people in an effort to avoid waste.

 

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To forecast the effect of these changes through the lens of telemedicine, it’s important to consider the impact the private market has had on telemedicine. Private insurers were among the first to adapt coverage and plans to include telemedicine. In Maryland and Washington, D.C., the Blue Cross Blue Shield plan CareFirst now is one the most generous in the country in reimbursing claims across specialties for video enabled visits. Moreover, consumers now flock to mobile applications such as Doc on Demand and American Well as they give patients the ability to instantly see a doctor at a low fixed rate. However, the majority of public plans do not allow for telehealth reimbursement, nor do they limit its use.

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