Happy Wednesday! In this week's Big I Buzz we are discussing predicted telehealth risks for the year, how to get an at-home over-the-counter COVID test and cryptocurrency crimes. 

Viewpoint: Telehealth Risks and Predicted Impacts for 2022

COVID-19 has changed the way we do a lot of things and healthcare is at the top of the list. Many doctors' offices adopted telehealth. Claims Journal defines telehealth as, "The delivery and facilitation of health-related services via telecommunications and digital communication technologies." Despite the conveniences of telehealth, there are some risks involved. According to Claims Journal, "Legal experts predict that the volume of virtual care lawsuits will increase as telemedicine becomes and increasingly common way for patients to access healthcare... For example, a report from Quest Diagnostics said that 67% of the primary care physicians they surveyed were concerned that they missed signs of patient drug abuse during the pandemic. Only 50% of survey respondents were confident they could recognize signs of drug misuse during telehealth visits, compared to the 91% that said the same of in-person patient interactions." Claims Journal checked in  with malpractice experts' to get their prediction of telehealth impacts for the year: their prediction was that as telehealth becomes more prominent, we will see an increase in claims resulting from lack of clarity around provider accountability, missed and delayed diagnosis and missteps in care transitions. Read more about the risks and predictions for 2022 here. 

How to Get Your At-Home Over-the-Counter COVID-19 Test for Free

As the omicron variant causes COVID spikes across the country many people are looking to get tested. Testing facilities are facing longer lines than usual, which can make the wait for a COVID test and results longer than hoped for.

So, how can you get your at-home over-the-counter COVID-19 test for free? Starting January 15, mots people with a health plan can go online, or to a pharmacy or store to purchase an at-home over-the-counter COVID-19 diagnostic test authorized by the FDA at no cost, either through reimbursement or free of charge through insurance. 

Do you have to submit your test for reimbursement or can you walk in and pick up at-home OTC tests for free? It depends on your plan. If you are charged for an at-home OTC test after January 15, you can keep your receipt and submit a claim to your insurance company for reimbursement. According to CMS.gov, "If  your plan has not set up a network of preferred stores, pharmacies and online retailers at which you can obtain a test with no out-of-pocket expense, you will be reimbursed the amount of the cost of the test. For example, if you buy a two-pack of tests for $34, the plan or insurer would reimburse $34. If your plan has set up a network of preferred stores, pharmacies and online retailers at which you can obtain a test with no out-of-pocket expense, you can still obtain tests from other retailers if you buy them outside of that network. Your plan is required to reimburse you at a rate of up to $12 per individual test (or the cost of the test, if less than $12). Save your receipt(s) to submit to your plan for reimbursement at a rate of at least $12 per individual test (or the cost of the test, if less than $12). 

You can read more about getting an at-home over-the-counter COVID test here. 

Cryptocurrency Crime Hit Record $14 Billion in 2021: Research

Blockchain researcher Chainalysis said that crime involving cryptocurrencies hit an all-time high of $14 billion in 2021. According to their report, Crypto received by digital wallet addresses linked to illicit activity including scams, darknet markets and ransomware jumped 80% from a year earlier. The activity represented just 0.15% of total crypto transaction volumes, its lowest ever. Overall volumes soared to $15.8 trillion in 2021, up over five-fold from a year earlier. Insurance Journal reported that, "Driving the increase in crime was an explosion of scams and theft at decentralized finance - DeFi - platforms, Chainalysis said. DeFi sites - which offer lending, insurance and other financial services while bypassing traditional gatekeepers such as banks - have been plagued by problems that include flaws in underlying code and opaque governance." Read more about cryptocurrency crime in 2021 here. 

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