Watch: The future of telehealth

On Tuesday, July 14 Axios hosted a conversation on the future of telemedicine with Axios co-founder Mike Allen and health care reporter Caitlin Owens featuring Oscar Health CEO Mario Schlosser and Federal Communications Commission Chair Ajit Pai.

Ajit Pai focused on the FCC's telehealth initiatives, highlighting $200 million in funding from the CARES Act to help health care providers shift online.

• How the money is being allocated: "[The FCC] has distributed funding to 539 applicants, allocated all $200 million of that money to 47 states, the District of Columbia and Guam. And this money is being distributed to a whole variety of institutions: brick-and-mortar community health centers, mental health and behavioral health facilities."

Mario Schlosser discussed how telehealth has been utilized during the coronavirus pandemic and the impact it's had the health care industry.

• The impact coronavirus has had on in-person appointments: "If we compare pre-pandemic to now, you look at the hundreds of [health care] appointments that should have occurred. Twenty percent shifted to virtual, 30% remained in person, and 50% simply disappears."
• On the future of telehealth: "The shift towards digital [in health] is a big opportunity of getting costs out of the US healthcare system, not to create more costs."

Axios co-founder and CEO Jim VandeHei hosted a View from the Top segment with Ro co-founder and CEO Zachariah Reitano, who discussed how the current crisis exposes the gaps in American health care.

• On the impact of coronavirus on the health care industry: "It shined a light on all of the problems that have existed in the health care system for quite some time. And I think, frankly, we're embarrassed by it. But it's good, because hopefully it will serve as a catalyst. We see the racial inequities. We see the geographic inequities."

Thank you Ro for sponsoring this event.