On NPR today:
As more doctors go online to communicate with patients, two of the country’s biggest health insurers have started reimbursing patients for the Internet visits. But critics say the online advising could lead to errors, and patient privacy could be compromised.
Listen to the interview on NPR.
iHealthBeat describes the segment:
Earlier this year, Aetna and Cigna began paying for online doctor’s visits through the site RelayHealth and have marketed the service to about one million physicians. The site allows patients to:
- Ask for referrals;
- Obtain a prescription refill;
- Schedule online consultations with physicians; and
- Request in-office appointments.
The service saves time for patients and providers, and consultations often cost less than in-person office visits, according to insurers.
The segment includes comments from:
- James Rohack, a cardiologist and American Medical Association board member;
- Ken Tarkoff, general manager of RelayHealth;
- A Cigna spokesperson;
- An Oakland, Calif., internist who uses RelayHealth to communicate with patients; and
- Patients who use the service (Kennedy, “Morning Edition,” NPR, 4/3).
iHealthBeat‘s earlier coverage on this topic, “Insurers Begin To Reimburse Physicians for Online Visits,” can be found here.