What to ask about online care
US health department guidance was checked September 26, 2026.
It says the person treating you must meet the licence rules of the state you are in at the time of the online visit.
Why this source matters
The requirements that apply to the visit come from state rules.
Medical boards are state bodies that license doctors and oversee their work.
Guidance from their national group calls for the same care standards during phone or screen visits as during visits in a room.
If the care cannot meet that standard through a screen, the guidance says that setting is not suitable.
Why this source matters
The national group gives state medical boards advice. That advice is not a nationwide law; each state’s rules set the requirements for care there.
When the screen is not enough
The same guidance says the person treating you must arrange tests or an examination in a room when needed to assess your health.
Why this source matters
Tests depend on what the person treating you needs to find out. The guidance does not say that everyone needs tests.
- How will I ask a follow-up question?
- What happens if you need to examine me in person?
- Who arranges any testing?