PORTLAND, Ore. – Today, Regence released new data showing consumers, on average, save $100 per visit when using telehealth rather than in-person office, urgent care or emergency room visits. Data are based on services provided through national telehealth vendors in Idaho, Oregon, Utah and Washington state, and reflect cost savings associated with medical claims, mileage and wait times in traffic and in the waiting room.
“Our primary goal is to offer people a choice in how they access care based on their own personal preferences,” said Brodie Dychinco, Regence’s general manager of Convenient Care Delivery. “Technology has accelerated the adoption of telehealth as one of many convenient options people have to help contain their health care costs and seek care based on where, when and how they want it.”
When a Regence member with a commercial, non-Medicare policy uses telehealth instead of an emergency room, urgent care, or doctor’s office visit, they save an average of $75 out-of-pocket on associated medical bills. This savings number may vary depending on the member’s specific policy and whether deductibles have been met.
In addition to the lower claims cost, Regence estimated telehealth consumers can avoid expenditures in mileage and time spent traveling and waiting for care at about $25 per telehealth visit for median-income earners and upwards of $40 for higher wage-earners.
Regence estimated the value of time saved using telehealth for people with a range of incomes. While those with a median (50th percentile) income save around $23 in wait and travel time and mileage, those with 25th percentile income with the same wait time and travel distance save $14 and those at the 75th percentile of income save $39.
Potential Cost Savings Based on Time, Travel and Mileage by Income
|
Median Income |
25th Percentile |
75th Percentile |
|
|---|---|---|---|
|
Mileage |
$2 |
$2 |
$2 |
|
Travel Time |
$8 |
$5 |
$15 |
|
Wait Time |
$13 |
$7 |
$22 |
|
Total |
$23 |
$14 |
$39 |
By making it easier and more affordable to access care, telehealth offerings empower consumers to prioritize their health over the physical and time constraints in their lives.While these data are focused on acute medical care visits, telehealth is expanding to specialty care as well, including options for individual and family behavioral health therapy, lactation consulting, and other secure online care options. Both on-demand and pre-scheduled appointments are possible, and consumers can select the delivery based on personal preferences of phone call, video chat or back-and-forth messaging.
About Regence
Regence serves more than 2.4 million members through Regence BlueShield of Idaho, Regence BlueCross BlueShield of Oregon, Regence BlueCross BlueShield of Utah and Regence BlueShield (select counties in Washington). Each health plan is a nonprofit independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association. Regence is part of a family of companies dedicated to transforming health care by delivering innovative products and services that change the way consumers nationwide experience health care. For more information, please visit regence.com.