Addressing Inequities in Access to Care for Patients with Hematologic Malignancy

Telehealth is viewed by providers and payors as a promising strategy to increase access to care for underserved populations. This study will examine telehealth provision by hematologists and oncologists “specialists” to Medicaid beneficiaries with hematologic malignancies, with a focus on telehealth utilization by underserved populations, including patients from racial/ethnic minorities and in rural communities.

Specific aims include

• Identifying the specialist workforce treating Medicaid beneficiaries with hematologic malignancies and the use of telehealth for patient care during the public health emergency.
• Exploring whether Medicaid beneficiaries with hematologic malignancies who used telehealth have different health care utilization compared to those without telehealth visits.
• Investigating the association between telehealth policies and the use of telehealth services by the specialist workforce treating Medicaid beneficiaries with hematologic malignancies.
• Assessing racial/ethnic and geographic inequities in access to telehealth for Medicaid beneficiaries with hematologic malignancy.

This study is uniquely positioned to inform ongoing policy actions to roll back telehealth flexibilities. Results will also guide legislative efforts to target policies related to telehealth coverage flexibilities in a way that can improve access to care for disadvantaged patient groups with hematologic malignancies nationally.