Telehealth in 2026: What's Covered, What It Costs, and Which Plans Do It Best

Telehealth went from a niche convenience to a healthcare necessity during the pandemic, and usage has remained elevated. Over 40% of adults used telehealth in the past year, and most major insurers now cover virtual visits at the same level as in-person care. But coverage details, costs, and quality vary significantly between plans.

What Telehealth Typically Covers

Most health plans now cover these telehealth services: primary care visits (cold, flu, allergies, infections, rashes, etc.), mental health therapy and psychiatry, specialist consultations, chronic disease management (diabetes, hypertension, asthma), prescription refills and medication management, urgent care for non-emergency issues, and follow-up appointments after procedures or hospitalizations.

Telehealth generally does not replace emergency care, physical examinations requiring hands-on assessment, procedures and surgeries, imaging and lab work (though ordering these remotely is common), and conditions requiring immediate physical intervention.

What It Costs

Telehealth costs vary by plan, but the trend is toward lower costs for virtual visits. Some plans offer $0 telehealth for primary care and behavioral health. Others apply your regular copay (typically $20-$40). A few still apply the deductible to telehealth visits, though this is becoming rare. The average telehealth visit costs $20-$50 with insurance, compared to $100-$200 for an equivalent in-person visit. Even when copays are the same, telehealth saves on transportation, parking, and time off work.

Best Plans for Telehealth

Oscar Health is the clear telehealth leader. Every Oscar plan includes unlimited $0 telehealth visits - no copay, no deductible, available 24/7. The app experience is seamless, with wait times typically under 10 minutes. For routine primary care needs, many Oscar members never need an in-person visit.

UnitedHealthcare offers virtual-first plans specifically designed around telehealth. These plans have the lowest premiums of any UHC option, with $0 virtual visits as the primary care model. In-person care is available when needed but the plan incentivizes virtual first.

Kaiser Permanente integrates telehealth seamlessly into their care model. Video visits with your own Kaiser doctor (not a random telehealth provider) mean continuity of care that standalone telehealth services can't match. Your doctor sees your full medical history during the virtual visit.

Cigna partners with MDLIVE to offer $0 virtual visits on most plans. The MDLIVE network includes both primary care and behavioral health providers, with 24/7 availability.

Telehealth for Mental Health

Telehealth has been transformative for mental health access. In-person therapy availability is limited in many areas, with wait times of 4-8 weeks for new patients. Telehealth therapy eliminates geographic barriers entirely - you can see a therapist licensed in your state regardless of where either of you is located.

Most plans now cover telehealth therapy at the same copay as in-person therapy. Some plans (Oscar, Cigna) offer $0 telehealth therapy visits. The clinical evidence supports telehealth therapy effectiveness as equivalent to in-person for most conditions, including depression, anxiety, and PTSD.

How to Get the Most From Telehealth

Use it for the right things. Telehealth excels at: medication refills and adjustments, follow-up visits, mental health therapy, dermatology (take clear photos beforehand), common illnesses where you know what you have and need a prescription, and questions about symptoms that may or may not need in-person evaluation.

Prepare like an in-person visit. Have your medication list ready, write down symptoms and their timeline, take your temperature and blood pressure if relevant, and have photos of any visible symptoms. The more information you provide upfront, the more effective the virtual visit will be.