Three months ago, the state's largest insurance company began covering telemedicine – a form of treatment that uses secure internet and video streaming to connect doctors to distant patients.
The technology has been in place for years, but funding has lagged. Now proponents hope the decision by Blue Cross Blue Shield of Alabama to reimburse for some services will help spur the growth of telemedicine in the rural communities that need it most.
In December, Blue Cross announced that it would pay providers to deliver telemedicine services for outpatient cardiology, behavioral health, dermatology, infectious diseases and neurology. Those specialties can be difficult to obtain in small towns and rural hospitals.
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