Telemedicine allows patients to get treatment, recommendations, prescriptions, and other forms of primary care virtually, without the physical presence of a medical doctor. The technology seeks to solve problems regarding the limited access to healthcare systems in rural communities. It reduces the cost of an in-person consultation and the workload on medical practitioners.

The University of Nebraska Medical Center reports that over a dozen counties within the state lack a healthcare center, leaving many residents driving miles across town to get care. With telehealth, this problem is alleviated. Diagnoses and recommendations can be made from the comfort of the patient's home.

It is relatively inexpensive compared to an in-person consultation. In Nebraska, the average cost of in-person consultation is $142. With telehealth, it is only $86.

Nebraska enacted Parity Laws in 2017 regarding telemedicine, mandating that private employers whose employees are covered by Medicaid must also cover the cost of telehealth consultations. The plan covers video telemedicine, teleradiology, and remote patient monitoring, making it easier to diagnose patients at a reduced rate.

However, like most technology, there are caveats. The HIPPA teleconference tool that helps patients communicate with their doctors comes with a risk of misdiagnosis. Unlike the traditional doctor-patient relationship that develops over time, patients are paired with a provider who may not know their extensive medical history to pinpoint the source of illness correctly.

This has become a serious concern among advocates for telemedicine with its frequency. A study by the CDC found that one-third of all antibiotic prescriptions are unnecessary, and add this to the pile of wrong and unnecessary drugs that come with misdiagnosis - another reason the cost of pharmaceuticals is soaring.

The question for debate is, should telemedicine remain the post-COVID norm to increase Nebraska's access to primary care?