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Telemedicine’s importance rises in wake of hurricanes

A survey from HealthMine found that 57 percent of Medicare health plan members aged 65+ say they are unsure if their health plan offers telehealth; another 31 percent say that it is not offered.

By Marlene Satter | Updated on September 18, 2017
The growing necessity of digitally connecting seniors to health care services has launched a debate on the pros and cons of expanding coverage of telehealth and telemedicine services. (Photo: Shutterstock)

Hurricanes Harvey and Irma have heightened the realization that access to medical care — both doctors and health facilities — can be cut off just when seniors may need it most. But even though digital communications and telemedicine can help to bridge this gap, many seniors don’t even know whether their health plan offers it — and that’s if they are digitally connected enough to access it.

Business Insider reports on a survey from HealthMine, which finds that 57 percent of Medicare health plan members aged 65+ say they are unsure if their health plan offers telemedicine; another 31 percent say that telemedicine is not offered by their plan.

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Marlene Satter

Marlene Satter

Marlene Y. Satter has worked in and written about the financial industry for decades.

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