An Examination of Private Payer Reimbursements to Primary Care Providers for Healthcare Services Using Telehealth, United States 2009-2013

• Half of telehealth-related state policies were implemented in the last five years. • Although many states permit reimbursements for telehealth services, only seven states have passed statutes mandating parity with reimbursements for non-telehealth services. • Despite an increasing number of telehealth policies, claims for telehealth services to private insurers are rare. • Lower average reimbursements for telehealth billings may discourage adoption of telehealth technologies. • Surveillance of claims data will help identify whether telehealth policies are having their intended impact on the healthcare system.