National telehealth utilization decreased 5.4 percent in April 2023, from 5.6 percent of medical claim lines in March to 5.3 percent in April, according to FAIR Health’s Monthly Telehealth Regional Tracker. The decrease followed an increase in March 2023.

In April, telehealth utilization also decreased in all four US census regions – the Midwest (4.7 percent), Northeast (6.3 percent), South (6.8 percent) and West (6.4 percent). The data represent the privately insured population, including Medicare Advantage and excluding Medicare Fee-for-Service and Medicaid.

Mental health conditions, the top-ranking telehealth diagnosis nationally and in every region, rose from 67.4 percent of telehealth claim lines nationally in March 2023 to 68.4 percent in April – the fourth straight month of national increases.

The percentage of telehealth claim lines for the second-place diagnosis, acute respiratory diseases and infections, decreased nationally in April, falling from 3.2 percent in March to 2.7 percent in April. This was the fourth consecutive national monthly decrease for this diagnosis.

Nationally, in April, developmental disorders switched positions with joint/soft tissue diseases and issues in the rankings; developmental disorders rose to third place while joint/soft tissue diseases and issues dropped to fourth place.

In April 2023, among the national top five diagnoses via asynchronous telehealth, mental health conditions switched positions with urinary tract infections in the rankings; claims for mental health conditions climbed to third place while those for urinary tract infections fell to fourth place.

In April, the percentage of asynchronous telehealth claim lines rose for hypertension nationally and in every region. Nationally, the percentage rose significantly from 9.7 percent in March to 12.5 percent in April. Hypertension rose from second to first place in the West and from fourth to second place in the South. It maintained its position nationally (second place) and in the other regions – second place in the Northeast and first in the Midwest.

In April, sleep disorders climbed in the rankings of asynchronous telehealth diagnoses from fifth to fourth place in the Northeast and from fourth to second place in the West. Diabetes mellitus rose in the rankings in three regions: from fifth to third place in the Midwest, from fourth to third place in the Northeast and from fifth to fourth place in the West.

In April 2023, utilization of audio-only telehealth services decreased in rural and urban areas nationally and in every region except the West, where it fell in rural areas but rose in urban areas.

For April 2023, the Telehealth Cost Corner spotlighted the cost of CPT®3 99213, established patient office or other outpatient visit, 20-29 minutes. Nationally, the median charge amount for this service when rendered via telehealth was $167.77, and the median allowed amount was $89.70