Telehealth expansion may widen healthcare access gaps, study finds

The COVID-19 pandemic drove telehealth adoption, but barriers to access persist. At least 42 million Americans lack high-speed internet, raising concerns about telehealth's ability to close healthcare gaps for underserved groups.

Research on 172,000 Wisconsin Medicaid patients highlights telehealth usage patterns. Key findings include:

· Urban residents with high-speed internet used telehealth more than rural patients
· Patients with chronic conditions had greater telehealth increases than healthier groups
· Disparities in primary care access by geography, demographics, and health status remained despite telehealth growth

Explore the full findings and their impact on healthcare equity.