Telehealth for needy patients

Re “Telephone visits with doctors work. Don’t roll them back,” Opinion, March 25

For many medical conditions, diagnosing by phone is just as effective as doing so during an inperson appointment.

Take, for example, this phone encounter: During a recent medical visit at Venice Family Clinic for a child suffering abdominal pain, our pediatrician went through the same questions and tests to diagnose the cause that she would have at any one of our 14 sites. Using her medical judgment, she diagnosed the issue and recommended methods to resolve it.

For the 27,000 patients we serve, phone visits ensure access to care. Many have limited transportation options and work in jobs with little or no sick leave. As a result, 11% of our patients miss their in-person visits, while only 4% miss their scheduled phone appointments.

For these reasons and more, we support Assembly Bill 32, which would make permanent the telehealth innovations achieved during the pandemic, including Medi-Cal reimbursements for audio telehealth visits. Elizabeth Benson Forer Venice The writer is chief executive of the Venice Family Clinic.

Like many seniors, I postponed doctor appointments until this month, after being fully vaccinated. I have Medicare as my primary and a secondary insurance.

I live in the San Fernando Valley, and my doctors are in Santa Monica, so I prefer video consultations and had recently scheduled one with a new provider. I am grateful to his office, which called days before my appointment to inform me that Medicare did not cover such calls and that my out-of-pocket expense could be $600. I switched to an in-person visit for no cost.

I share this experience so other readers understand that before they choose to schedule a video appointment, they should call Medicare or their insurer to see if it is covered. The last thing anyone needs now is a surprise medical bill for hundreds of dollars because of a 15minute appointment on the phone or computer. Rosemary Chiaverini

Sherman Oaks