Virtual healthcare takes many forms, which is a good thing because diverse patient communities cannot be served well by a single model. Whether you call it telehealthcare, telemedicine, or perhaps most accurately “remote healthcare,” distinct populations come with varying needs and challenges. We’ve written about Addison Caregivers‘ virtual caregivers for the elderly and chronically ill, for example. We also noted American Wells’ 2019 survey which indicated physicians show increased willingness to adopt telehealth.
CVS Health recently announced the expansion of its MinuteClinic virtual Video Visit program to Michigan, Pennsylvania, and South Carolina. People can now seek care via Video Visits in 39 states for patients two years and older. CVS in-store MinuteClinics in 34 states offer in-store medical care for minor injuries, minor illnesses, screenings and monitoring, skin conditions, and more. The clinics accept most insurance plans, according to CVS.
MinuteClinic Video Visits do not require patients to leave home, a significant convenience for populations such as older people, parents with multiple children at home, homebound patients, and people who have limited access to transportation. CVS physicians are available 24/7 365 days a year with an average 20-minute wait time. CVS charges $59 per Video Visit, payable by credit, debit, FSA, and HSA cards. CVS does not currently accept insurance coverage for Video Visits but expects to add insurance coverage in the near future.
MinuteClinic Video Visits run on a Teladoc virtual care technology platform and patients can access the visits through computers or mobile devices, including the CVS Pharmacy app.
