Human beings tend to boast a ton of valuable traits, and yet the most defining element in our arsenal is that tendency to grow on a consistent basis. We say it because this ability, in particular, has already allowed us to achieve some huge milestones, with technology proving to be a major member of the stated group. The reason why technology has enjoyed such a notable presence in our lives is inspired by its unique skill-set, which introduced us to a reality that we could have never imagined in our wildest dreams. Nevertheless, once you start looking a little deeper, it becomes clear how the whole runner was also predicated upon the way we applied those skills in a real-world setting. The latter component, in fact, did a lot to give the creation a spectrum-wide presence, including a very well-timed appearance on our healthcare block. Technology’s foray into healthcare was so perfectly timed, as it came right when the sector was beginning to struggle against its own obsolete structure. Now, this reality did go through a sizeable overhaul under the new stewardship, but even after going that far, the famous medtech will continue producing all the right goods. The same has turned more and more evident over the recent past, and Blue Cross NC’s latest move should only help the stated cause moving forward.
Blue Cross NC has officially decided to update its telehealth coverage so to include dedicate services for behavioral health, primary care and outpatient care. According to certain reports, the new coverage policy, which is slated to go into effect from 1st January 2023, will be applicable to all Blue Cross NC fully insured and administrative services only (ASO) plans, including the State Health Plan. Talk about what isn’t going to fly; this modification is not expected to cover Blue Cross NC members receiving telehealth services from providers outside of North Carolina. Furthermore, Blue Cross NC, through the newly-launched policy, will also take a step away from services, such as laboratory testing, radiology, and more that didn’t prove to be effective in a virtual setting. The move, interestingly enough, comes after Blue Cross NC witnessed an uptick of around 7,500% in telehealth claims during the year 2020. Within that figure, behavioral health and primary care had a stake worth 92%, therefore making these policy changes pretty justified. You can dispute the same by stating how the focus on telehealth has fallen off in the last few months, but the numbers suggest that a good chunk of the concept’s growth is really here to stay.
“The pandemic has radically changed how members prefer to access care,” said Dr. Stephen Friedhoff, senior vice president of Health Care Services at Blue Cross NC. “The substantial increase of telehealth usage during the pandemic has provided two years of member data that is more informative than the entire 20 years prior when our company first began covering telehealth. Blue Cross NC is responding to ensure our policies reflect these findings by expanding telehealth options so members can access easy, affordable care no matter where they live.”
