COVID-19 Declined Among Top Five Telehealth Diagnoses Nationally in September 2022

COVID-19 declined among the top five telehealth diagnoses nationally and in most U.S. census regions from August to September 2022, according to FAIR Health’s Monthly Telehealth Regional Tracker.

Nationally and in the Midwest, COVID-19 fell from second to third place in the rankings. In the South, it fell from third to fifth place, and in the West, it fell from third place out of the rankings. Only in the Northeast did COVID-19 maintain its position at second place. The data represent the privately insured population, including Medicare Advantage and excluding Medicare Fee-for-Service and Medicaid.

Telehealth utilization nationally was unchanged from August to September 2022, as measured by telehealth’s share (5.4% in both months) of all medical claim lines.¹ Telehealth utilization also was unchanged in the Midwest and West, but it rose 3.4% in the Northeast and fell 2.2% in the South.

In addition to the changes involving COVID-19, acute respiratory diseases, and infections rose among the top five telehealth diagnoses nationally and in most regions from August to September 2022.

Nationally and in the Midwest, this diagnosis rose from third to second place; in the West, it climbed from fifth to fourth place; and in the Northeast, it rose from outside the rankings to third place. Only in the South did acute respiratory diseases and infections maintain an unchanged position at second place.

Specialty Rankings

The rankings of the top five telehealth specialties did not change nationally or regionally from August to September 2022. Social worker remained the number one telehealth specialty nationally and in every region.

Procedure Codes

From August to September 2022, the rankings of the top five telehealth procedure codes did not change nationally or in any region when compared to the prior seven months. The number one telehealth procedure code nationally and in every region remained CPT² 90837, one-hour psychotherapy.

Telehealth Costs

For September 2022, the Telehealth Cost Corner spotlighted the cost of CPT 99441, 5-10-minute telephone medical discussion with physician. Nationally, the median charge amount for this service when rendered via telehealth was $49.42, and the median allowed amount was $18.98.³

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¹ A claim line is an individual service or procedure listed on an insurance claim.

² CPT © 2022 American Medical Association (AMA). All rights reserved.

³ A charge amount is the provider’s undiscounted fee, which a patient may have to pay when the patient is uninsured, or when the patient chooses to go to a provider who does not belong to the patient’s plan’s network. An allowed amount is the total fee paid to the provider under an insurance plan. It includes the amount that the health plan pays and the part the patient pays under the plan’s in-network cost-sharing provisions (e.g., copay or coinsurance if the patient has met the deductible).