During 2020, Telehealth Use For Adult Mental Health Increased Up To 20-Fold

During 2020, telehealth use for mental health treatment among commercially insured adults increased between 1500% to 2000%, depending on diagnoses. This offset the rapid decline of in-person care due to closures during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) public health emergency (PHE). The use of telehealth as an offset to office visits had the largest impact on utilization by people in treatment for bipolar disorder, and those in treatment for anxiety disorder. When combining in-person and telehealth service weekly utilization rates, overall weekly utilization during the PHE increased for major depressive disorder, anxiety, and adjustment disorder.

Telehealth uptake . . .