Significant Trends in Telehealth Usage and Diagnostic Categories

According to the latest data from FAIR Health's Monthly Telehealth Regional Tracker, overweight and obesity have emerged as significant telehealth diagnostic categories in December 2025. These issues ranked among the top five in the South and re-entered the Midwest's list, both securing the fifth position. This shift has displaced previous categories like examination encounters in the South and noninflammatory female disorders in the Midwest, although overweight and obesity maintained their positions as second in the West and third nationally and in the Northeast.

Mental health conditions continued to dominate telehealth claims across all regions, with a minor decrease in national claims from 63% to 62.4% compared to November. Telehealth utilization saw a slight increase, rising from 15.0% in November to 15.2% in December nationwide, with the Northeast experiencing the most significant growth. Telehealth claim line usage increased nationally and specifically in the Northeast and South, although there were declines in the Midwest and West. Urban areas reported higher telehealth usage at 15.4% nationally compared to 7.9% in rural regions, with the Midwest showing the largest urban-rural discrepancy.

In terms of age distribution, individuals aged 31-40 represented the highest share of telehealth claims, followed by those aged 19-30. This pattern was a reversal from November in most regions, excluding the South. Patients within the 0-9 and 65 and older age brackets recorded the lowest telehealth claim percentages. Psychotherapy and established office or outpatient services remained top procedure categories, with psychotherapy being most prevalent in the Northeast and Midwest, while office visits led in the South and West. Launching the Monthly Telehealth Regional Tracker in May 2020, FAIR Health offers key insights into telehealth trends, aiming to enhance healthcare quality and access.