• FREE RESOURCES
  • PREMIUM CONTENT
        • SEE MORE
          PREMIUM RESOURCES
  • HR DEEP DIVES
        • Coronavirus (COVID-19) Resources for HR Professionals
          Employment Law
          Labor Law Posting Requirements: Everything You Need to Know
          Recruiting
          businesswoman selecting future employees on digital interfaces
          Recruiting Resources for HR & Hiring Managers
          Performance Management
          vector image of young female making star rating
          Performance Review Resources
          Employment Law
          Understanding Equal Employment Opportunity and the EEOC
          Recruiting
          Onboarding Resources for HR & Hiring Managers
  • CORONAVIRUS & HR

  • LOGIN
  • SIGN UP FREE

HR Morning

  • FREE RESOURCES
  • PREMIUM CONTENT
        • SEE MORE
          PREMIUM RESOURCES
  • HR DEEP DIVES
        • Coronavirus (COVID-19) Resources for HR Professionals
          Employment Law
          Labor Law Posting Requirements: Everything You Need to Know
          Recruiting
          businesswoman selecting future employees on digital interfaces
          Recruiting Resources for HR & Hiring Managers
          Performance Management
          vector image of young female making star rating
          Performance Review Resources
          Employment Law
          Understanding Equal Employment Opportunity and the EEOC
          Recruiting
          Onboarding Resources for HR & Hiring Managers
  • CORONAVIRUS & HR
  • Employment Law
  • Benefits
  • Recruiting
  • Talent Management
  • Performance Management
  • HR Technology
  • More
    • Leadership & Strategy
    • Compensation
    • Staff Administration
    • Policy & Procedures
    • Wellness
    • Staff Departure
    • Employee Services
    • Work Location
    • HR Career & Self-Care
    • Health Care
    • Retirement Plans

Telemedicine: Can this tool help keep health plan costs under control?

ACA reporting requirements
Jared Bilski
by Jared Bilski
July 8, 2015
1 minute read
  • SHARE ON

It’s getting more and more difficult to dismiss telemedicine as a healthcare fad that won’t catch among employers.  
But things have changed, and firms are starting to warm up to this option.
For starters, there are fewer barriers in place. One of the greatest obstacles to telemedicine usage has been insurers’ refusal to cover this option.
Now, however, Washington recently became the 24th state that required health plans to reimburse providers for telemedicine services – and others are likely to follow suit.
Plus, prominent insurers – such as Aetna, United Healthcare and Wellpoint/Anthem – are convinced telemedicine is here to stay and are planning accordingly.

$6 billion reasons

Telemedicine generally involves a patient speaking to a physician via a video stream (e.g., Skype) or over the phone for a diagnosis or treatment.
While this option will never replace face-to-face time with a doctor, the potential cost-savings are tremendous.
Telemedicine saves employees on travel waiting time and allows doctors to see patients more efficiently. For employers, the option can not only reduce the expense of unnecessary ER visits, it can also bolster productivity and cut absenteeism.
Telemedicine can save $6 billion annually in U.S. health costs if workers and dependents use the tactic whenever appropriate, according to an analysis by Towers Watson.

Third-party options

The option seems to be catching on, too. In 2014, just 22% of large firms offered this option. But 34% plan to offer it in 2016 or 2017, Towers Watson found.
If you have a tech-savvy workforce that’s likely to respond, talk to your broker about what’s available. Another option: Third-party telemedicine vendors. Services like Doctors on Demand charge on a per-employee or per-session basis and work with all major insurers.

Get the latest from HRMorning in your inbox PLUS immediately access 10 FREE HR guides.

I WANT MY FREE GUIDES

Keep Up To Date with the Latest HR News

With HRMorning arriving in your inbox, you will never miss critical stories on labor laws, benefits, retention and onboarding strategies.

Sign up for a free HRMorning membership and get our newsletter!
  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.
HR Morning Logo
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Linked In
  • ABOUT HRMORNING
  • ADVERTISE WITH US
  • WRITE FOR US
  • CONTACT
  • Employment Law
  • Benefits
  • Recruiting
  • Talent Management
  • HR Technology
  • Performance Management
  • Leadership & Strategy
  • Compensation & Payroll
  • Policy & Culture
  • Staff Administration
  • Wellness & Safety
  • Staff Departure
  • Employee Services
  • Work Location
  • HR Career & Self-Care

HRMorning, part of the SuccessFuel Network, provides the latest HR and employment law news for HR professionals in the trenches of small-to-medium-sized businesses. Rather than simply regurgitating the day’s headlines, HRMorning delivers actionable insights, helping HR execs understand what HR trends mean to their business.

Privacy Policy Terms of Service
Copyright © 2021 SuccessFuel

WELCOME BACK!

Enter your username and password below to log in

Forget Your Username or Password?

Reset Password

Lost your password? Please enter your username or email address. You will receive a link to create a new password via email.

Log In

During your free trial, you can cancel at any time with a single click on your “Account” page.  It’s that easy.

Why do we need your credit card for a free trial?

We ask for your credit card to allow your subscription to continue should you decide to keep your membership beyond the free trial period.  This prevents any interruption of content access.

Your card will not be charged at any point during your 21 day free trial
and you may cancel at any time during your free trial.

preloader