Doctors push for affordable access to telemedicine

Some patients have limited access to care due to cost.

ALLOWED PEOPLE TO SEE A DOCTORWITHOUT LEAVING THEIR HOME.BUT IT MAY NOT BE AS AFFORDABLEFOR EVERYONE.NOW THERE IS A PUSH TO MAKESURE EVERYONE CAN GET ACCESS TOIT.13 ACTION NEWS REPORTER AUSTINCARTER IS LIVE WITH HOWTELEMEDICINE IS IMPACTINGPATIENTS AND DOCTORS IN THEFUTURE.DOCTORS SAY SOME MAY NOT GETCARE NOT JUST BECAUSE OF THEFEARS OF COVID - BUTTHE FEARS OF CO-PAYS.((SOT)) DR.CHRISTINA MADISON - ROSEMANUNIVERSITY "WE WANT TO MAKESURE THAT IT'S AFFORDABLE FOROUR PATIENTS" DOCTOR CHRISTINAMADISON HAS BEEN PUSHING FORTELEMEDICINE AND ITS CONTINUEDROLE AS A CRITICAL SERVICE FORPATIENTS DURING THE CORONAVIRUSPANDEMIC.TELEMEDICINE VISITS USUALLYCOST LESS THAN IN PERSONVISITS - BUT WITH THE CURRENTECONOMIC CLIMATE - THE CHEAPEROPTION - MAY NOT BE CHEAPENOUGH FOR SOME PATIENTSCHRISTINA MADISON - ROSEMANUNIVERSITY "THEY MAY NOT BEABLE TO AFFORD AN APPOINTMENTBECAUSE OF SOME ISSUESASSOCIATED WITH NO LONGERHAVING WORK RIGHT NOW" A RECENTKEISER FAMILY FOUNDATION HEALTHTRACKING POLL -- FOUND THATOUTBREAK.MAKING VISITS MORE AFFORDABLE-HALF THE BATTLE FOR THEFUTURE ((SOT)) DR.CHRISTINA MADISON - ROSEMANUNIVERSITY "JUST CALLING UP THEDOCTOR'S OFFICE AND ASKING WHATTHE RATE OF THAT PARTICULARVISIT WOULD BE, CONTACTINGTHEIR INSURANCE IF THEY STILLHAVE IT, A LOT OF PLACES AREWORKING WITH PATIENTS WHO ARECASH PAY TO NEGOTIATE" WHILETELEMEDICINE IS CHANGING THEGAME IN A WAY UNLIKE BEFORETHE PANDEMIC - SOME VISITS ANDPROCEDURES THOUGH WILL REQUIRETHEM" LIBERTY DENTAL OPENED UPA TRIAGELINE TO ANYONE WHO RECEIVESMEDICAID IN NEVADA - DOCTORPETER FUENTES SAYS.OVER HALF DIDN'T EVEN NEED ANIN PERSON VISIT.THUS - SAVING THE PATIENT MONEY- AND TIME IN A HOSPITAL.PETER FUENTES - LIBERTY DENTAL"WHETHER IT WAS WITH ANTIBIOTICPRESCRIPTIONS, AT HOMEREMEDIES, OR JUST SOME VERBALCOACHING ON THE PHONE"DOCTOR MADISON TELLS ME SHE'SALSO HOPING ACCESS TO SOMEFEDERALLY FUNDEDPROVISIONS WHEN IT COMES TOTELEMEDICINE WILL STAY IN PLACEFOR THE FUTURE SO THOSEFEARS SUBSIDE - AND THE VIRTUALVISITS BECOME COMMON ANDAFFORDABLEAC 13 AN.DEFYING WARNINGS FROM HEALTHEXPERTS, THE PRESIDENT HOLDING