Using Telehealth to Support Equitable Access to Health Care in Medicaid

Telehealth offers both promises and challenges related to health care quality, patient experience, and health outcomes. The COVID-19 pandemic has spurred increasing use of telehealth, leading to greater access to care for people who may experience barriers getting to a provider’s office. Yet, the pandemic also illuminated a digital divide that can lead to inequitable use of telehealth and access to its benefits, particularly for people served by Medicaid.

This panel discussion, made possible by The Commonwealth Fund, explored policy- and practice-level strategies to increase access to telehealth for people who face challenges getting to a provider’s office, including patients in rural and frontier areas and individuals living in under-resourced communities.