Fair Health examined how the COVID-19 pandemic affected healthcare utilization and revenue across the industry in general and seven specialties.
Fair Health examined private claims data to document changes in utilization and estimated allowed amounts for professionals over the first four months of 2020 and 2019. Both periods had data that was incomplete but was also statistically significant. Despite the limitations, Fair Health released the data because it was "worthwhile."
How COVID-19 affected cardiology:
1. Cardiology utilization fell 4 percent from 2019 to 2020 in January, increased 5 percent in February, fell 62 percent in March and fell 71 percent in April.
2. Estimated allowed amounts fell 2 percent from 2019 to 2020 in January, increased 15 percent in February, 57 percent in March and 73 percent in April.
3. Concerning specific CPT codes, cardiology's third-most common code, 93000, went from the third most widely used code to the fifth between January and April 2020. The specialty's most widely used code, 93010, remained relatively unchanged, dropping to the second-most widely used code in February and April. Both codes relate to electrocardiograms.