LifeWise Health Plan of Oregon recently said it will pay for telemedicine visits beginning in the new year, partnering with Teladoc and making it a covered benefit for members.
The Portland-based health plan, which has almost 2 million members throughout the northwest, said it will first roll out the televisits to its 52,000 members in Oregon and select parts of Alaska and Washington.
Through the initiative, LifeWise members can receive health-related services and information for diagnosis, prevention, health advice, disease management, and treatment remotely. Members can either have a telemedicine visit covered by a provider equipped with telehealth capabilities, or they can opt for 24-hour virtual access with Teladoc, one of the largest telemedicine companies in the country.
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“The industry is moving toward offering people access to care at a place and time that is convenient to them,” Rich Maturi, senior vice president of LifeWise’s Health Care Delivery System, said in a statement. “Our virtual care offering will allow us to meet our members where they are and also make it simple for them to get the care they need. We are pleased to make virtual care available to all of our members.”
Insurers have increasingly looked toward telemedicine, with several carriers adding it as a benefit in recent months.
Teladoc earlier this year raised $50.2 million to help it grow its presence.