Guides · Insurance coverage

Does Medicaid cover telehealth?

Medicaid can cover telehealth, but each state decides which services, providers and technologies it covers. Medicaid.gov says federal law gives states broad flexibility over telehealth, including whether to allow audio-only visits.

To find out what your plan covers, call the member services number on your Medicaid card or eligibility letter, or contact your state Medicaid agency.

Updated · Facts checked against the sources listed below

Why Medicaid telehealth varies by state

Medicaid is run by each state within federal rules. For telehealth, Medicaid.gov says states have broad flexibility to design how it's delivered. States can choose:

  • Which services they cover by telehealth.
  • Which types of providers can offer it, and where.
  • Whether to allow audio-only visits as well as video.
  • How they pay for it. A state that pays for telehealth the same way it pays for in-person care doesn't need separate federal approval.

Covered telehealth must still meet Medicaid's other rules, the same as in-person care.

How to check your telehealth coverage

  1. Find your plan's member services number on the back of your enrollment card or on your eligibility letter.
  2. Ask whether video and phone visits are covered for the care you need, and whether there's a copay.
  3. Ask which telehealth providers are in your plan. Most Medicaid programs and plans list providers on their websites.
  4. For anything else, contact your state Medicaid agency. It handles eligibility, replacement cards, claims and finding providers.

How to change your doctor on Medicaid

If you're in a Medicaid health plan, start with the plan. To switch:

  1. Call the member services number on your card or eligibility letter and ask to change your primary care provider.
  2. Check that the new doctor accepts Medicaid or your plan and is taking new patients.
  3. Ask when the change takes effect.

HealthCare.gov notes that if your current provider doesn't accept your coverage, you may be able to keep seeing them for a short time while you find a new one. Ask your state Medicaid program or plan. Rules on how often you can switch vary by state.

What telehealth can't do

MedlinePlus notes some problems need an in-person exam or lab test to diagnose, and a telehealth clinician who isn't your regular doctor may not have your full history. Share your medication list and recent results at the start of a visit.

Call 911 or go to an emergency room for chest pain, trouble breathing, signs of a stroke, severe bleeding or a serious injury.

How Gabriel helps

Ask Gabriel anything free by app, web, text or voice, including what your coverage means and what to ask your plan. Gabriel can also help people compare health plans and switch, at no cost. Gabriel is not an insurer.

Common questions

Does Medicaid cover telehealth?

It can. Each state decides which services it covers by telehealth, which providers can offer it, and whether phone-only visits count.

Does Medicaid cover online doctor visits?

It depends on your state and the service. Call the member services number on your card to check your plan.

Does Medicaid cover phone visits?

Medicaid.gov says states can allow audio-only telehealth as they deem appropriate, so it depends on your state and the service.

How do I change my doctor on Medicaid?

Call your plan's member services number, ask to change your primary care provider, and confirm the new doctor accepts your plan. Your state Medicaid agency can help if you don't have a plan.

Who do I contact with Medicaid questions?

For most questions, your state Medicaid agency. For plan-specific questions, the member services number on your card or eligibility letter.

Sources

  1. Telehealth Medicaid.gov
  2. Using your new Medicaid or CHIP coverage HealthCare.gov
  3. Where can people get help with Medicaid and CHIP? Medicaid.gov
  4. Telehealth MedlinePlus, National Library of Medicine

This guide is general information, not medical advice. It does not replace a visit with a licensed clinician. Gabriel membership is not health insurance.