Telemedicine offers new strategies to improve Medicaid programs

Remote technologies provide Medicaid programs useful tools to address various challenges facing their populations and providers.  

Two concerns shared among all Medicaid programs are cost and access to care—telemedicine addresses both. A cost-effective alternative to traditional in-person medical care, telemedicine achieves many of the same clinical outcomes through the use of technology that includes, at a minimum, audio and visual equipment. Use of telemedicine provides more convenient access to care for patients, gives providers another avenue to treat patients, and allows Medicaid programs to increase access while maintaining or lowering costs.