Bill Overview
Title: Telehealth Benefit Expansion for Workers Act of 2022
Description: This bill expands the exception for stand-alone telehealth benefits plans from certain requirements that generally apply to private health insurance plans under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. Under the bill, employers may offer stand-alone telehealth benefits to all employees. This includes employees who are eligible for enrollment in their employer's group health plan. Currently, employers may offer telehealth benefits to employees who are otherwise ineligible for the employer's group health plan. This flexibility applies during any plan year beginning before the end of the COVID-19 emergency.
Sponsors: Rep. Walorski, Jackie [R-IN-2]
Target Audience
Population: People employed and eligible for telehealth benefits from their employers
Estimated Size: 50000000
- The bill affects telehealth benefits, which relate to healthcare services provided remotely via telecommunications technology.
- The legislation allows employers to offer these telehealth benefits as stand-alone options, even for employees already eligible for other health plans.
- Approximately 4.7 billion people worldwide have access to the internet, which is necessary for telehealth services (data as of 2021).
- Not all internet users will be affected, as only those who are employed and offered telehealth by their employer are impacted.
- Global workforce estimates suggest there are approximately 3.5 billion employed individuals worldwide.
Reasoning
- The policy expands telehealth access to more employees, which can potentially improve access to healthcare resources, particularly among remote or underserved populations.
- Telehealth services can increase convenience for employees by reducing the time and cost associated with traveling to healthcare providers.
- A significant portion of the U.S. workforce may not experience direct benefits if their employer opts not to offer stand-alone telehealth plans.
- The policy budget seems substantial and aims to cover a considerable portion of the workforce, but its effects will vary based on factors such as current access to telehealth, health needs, and employer participation.
- It is crucial to account for varying impacts across different job sectors, geographic locations, and demographic groups.
Simulated Interviews
Software Engineer (New York, NY)
Age: 34 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 15/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I appreciate having more healthcare options.
- Telehealth can be convenient, but I already have a robust healthcare plan.
- I think this could benefit my coworkers who are not on our full health plan.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 7 |
Freelancer (Austin, TX)
Age: 27 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 10/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I think telehealth is a great tool.
- Having access to health advice remotely would be really helpful given my busy and varied schedule.
- I'm not sure my employers will provide this benefit.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 4 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 4 |
Nurse (Seattle, WA)
Age: 45 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 3.0 years
Commonness: 12/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Telehealth is incredibly beneficial in my line of work.
- I'm glad that others will have more access to healthcare options.
- My own health plan is quite comprehensive already.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 8 |
Retired (Miami, FL)
Age: 60 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 0.0 years
Commonness: 11/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I'm retired, so I'm not directly impacted by this.
- It sounds like it might be useful for my family members who are still working.
- Telehealth services could have been helpful during my career.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 6 |
Clerical Worker (Phoenix, AZ)
Age: 50 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 6.0 years
Commonness: 14/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I don't have great health coverage, so telehealth could be a big plus for me.
- It would be convenient to talk to doctors without missing work.
- I'm not sure my employer will start offering this.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 5 |
Construction Worker (Detroit, MI)
Age: 39 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 3.0 years
Commonness: 10/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I'm glad to have more health options even though I'm covered by my union.
- Not sure how much this will change for me personally.
- Could be great for others in my industry.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 6 |
Barista (Boston, MA)
Age: 24 | Gender: other
Wellbeing Before Policy: 4
Duration of Impact: 7.0 years
Commonness: 9/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Telehealth benefits would make accessing healthcare much easier for me.
- I really hope my employer decides to offer it.
- It's a struggle to balance health, work, and studies.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 4 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 4 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 5 |
Rancher (Montana)
Age: 48 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 5/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Living in a remote area, telehealth is very appealing.
- This could save a lot of traveling for basic consults.
- I just hope it includes good enough services for our needs.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 6 |
Marketing Specialist (Chicago, IL)
Age: 31 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 12/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Working remotely, I could really use telehealth for my check-ups.
- I already have decent coverage, so this is a nice add-on.
- Many in my field would benefit during travel as well.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 8 |
Truck Driver (Atlanta, GA)
Age: 52 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 8.0 years
Commonness: 6/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Telehealth would help me with managing health checks while traveling.
- I hope the services available are sufficient for prescriptions.
- This could encourage me to keep up with my health more regularly.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 6 |
Cost Estimates
Year 1: $5000000000 (Low: $3000000000, High: $7000000000)
Year 2: $5200000000 (Low: $3100000000, High: $7300000000)
Year 3: $5400000000 (Low: $3200000000, High: $7600000000)
Year 5: $5600000000 (Low: $3300000000, High: $7900000000)
Year 10: $5800000000 (Low: $3400000000, High: $8200000000)
Year 100: $0 (Low: $0, High: $0)
Key Considerations
- The policy is likely to increase the accessibility of telehealth, appealing to a tech-savvy workforce.
- Potential for reduced absenteeism due to easier access to healthcare.
- Complexity of implementing the new benefits scheme may deter some employers from participating.
- Future changes in healthcare regulations or technological advancements may alter telehealth service utilization rates.