The American journal of managed care
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The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated telehealth expansion trends as policy makers instituted flexibilities and coverage changes. Federal telehealth flexibilities expire, however, at the end of 2024. To decide whether to extend those flexibilities, policy makers need information about consumer telehealth preferences, impacts of telehealth on care usage and quality, and telehealth accessibility for the full diversity of patients. ⋯ An integrated, value-based care approach may assist a diverse range of patients in accessing telehealth services. Action is still needed, however, to ensure that the full diversity of patients can easily access telehealth offerings. Based on experiences within our health system, we recommend that policy makers maintain public and private payer coverage for video- and phone-based telehealth services; encourage well-designed value-based payment models to simplify and expand telehealth access; improve broadband accessibility and broadband and device affordability so that all patients can access telehealth services; and hold digital health to equivalent high standards for care quality, safety, patient satisfaction, clinical outcomes, and health equity as in-person care.
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The annual mean spending measures typically used to study longitudinal trends mask distributional and seasonal variation that is relevant to patients' perceptions of health care affordability and, in turn, provider collections. This study describes shifts in the distribution and seasonality of plan and patient out-of-pocket spending from 2012 through 2021. ⋯ Insurance is working well to protect the highest spenders at the cost of reduced insurance generosity among spenders elsewhere in the distribution. The increasing cross-subsidization among enrollees through cost-sharing design-vs premiums-is a trend to watch among rising public concerns about underinsurance and medical debt.
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Text messaging could be effective for determining patient eligibility for lung cancer screening (LCS). We explored people's willingness to share their tobacco use history via text message among diverse groups. ⋯ Text messaging showed promise for evaluating smoking history and for simplifying the process of identifying LCS-eligible individuals. However, achieving equity in identifying eligibility for LCS requires the implementation of multimodal strategies.
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To explore the knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) in regard to ChatGPT among health care professionals (HCPs). ⋯ HCPs willing to use ChatGPT in China showed poor knowledge, positive attitudes, and proactive practices regarding ChatGPT.
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The number of commercial beneficiaries cared for by accountable care organizations (ACOs) is growing, but the literature examining their trends is nascent. ⋯ These results provide evidence that ACOs with major teaching hospitals may be more likely to achieve the value-based goals of ACOs. Means to accomplish those goals may include avoiding higher-intensity care and supporting access to lower-cost alternatives where clinically appropriate, such as reducing inpatient and emergency department stays by delivering timely, high-quality outpatient care.