Convenient is not the same as covered.
- “Video visits are always covered in full.” A copay, deductible or coinsurance can apply.
- “Any telehealth app works with our plan.” Coverage depends on the provider and the exact plan.
- “I can use it for anything.” A clinician decides whether a concern can be handled remotely.
- “Where I am does not matter.” The service needs to know where the employee physically is.
- “It works for emergencies.” It does not. An emergency is a 911 call.
Most of these trace back to a one-line announcement during enrollment. A short, specific rollout fixes them.
Five things to say when you announce it.
There may be two ways in.
The employee's own clinician, or the plan's virtual service.
Employees can ask their usual doctor's office about a video or phone visit. If the plan designates a virtual care service, explain which services, hours, ages and locations it supports, and how records reach the employee's regular clinician.
Check the price first.
Virtual care is not automatically exempt from cost sharing.
Point employees to the carrier app or plan summary to confirm the provider is covered under their exact plan and whether a copay, deductible or coinsurance applies.
Say where you are.
Location matters, especially on the road.
Employees should tell the service where they are physically located for the visit. That matters most for remote and traveling staff.
The clinician makes the call.
Some concerns need an exam or a test.
Employees should ask up front what happens if the connection drops or the clinician wants in-person follow-up.
Emergencies go to 911.
Not to a scheduled video appointment.
Say it plainly in every announcement.
A rollout note in plain words.
Sample note to employees: “You can see a clinician by video or phone through our medical plan. Ask your usual doctor's office whether they offer virtual visits, or use [virtual care service] in the [carrier] app. Before you book, check what you will pay, because a copay, deductible or coinsurance may apply. Have your ID card, medication list and pharmacy details ready, find a private spot with a steady connection, and tell the clinician where you are. For an emergency, call 911. Questions? Contact [name].”
Remove the virtual-service line if your plan does not designate one, and check the cost wording against the plan summary before sending.
Line these up before the announcement.
Virtual service details
Name of any designated service, what it treats, hours, ages and locations, and how visit notes reach the usual clinician.
The cost line
What a virtual visit costs under each plan, taken from the plan summary or carrier app, not from memory.
An employee prep list
Private place, steady connection, ID card, medication list, questions and preferred pharmacy.
Access options
Accessibility, interpretation and technical requirements, confirmed with the service before employees need them.
The pre-deductible telehealth rule, briefly.
Starting with plan years that begin January 1, 2025 or later, federal law permanently lets a plan cover qualifying telehealth and remote care before the deductible. That coverage does not, by itself, make an otherwise eligible person ineligible to contribute to an HSA.
Two limits to say out loud. The rule does not require your plan to waive cost sharing on virtual visits, and every other HSA eligibility condition still applies. Have your tax adviser confirm individual cases. See how the accounts compare, or our pre-tax plan support for the design side.
Send these to us.
- Virtual visit bills that do not match the plan summary
- No clear answer on whether your plan designates a virtual service, or what it costs
- An HSA-plan question about pre-deductible coverage
- A renewal where you are weighing changes to virtual care
We confirm the plan terms with the carrier and help you correct the message if it was wrong. For a disputed bill, start with the employee's EOB: see how to explain an EOB.
What HR teams ask about telehealth.
Can we tell employees virtual visits are covered in full?
Only if the plan summary says so for that plan. Virtual care is not automatically exempt from copays, deductibles or coinsurance, so quote the plan, not a general rule.
Should managers suggest telehealth when someone calls in sick?
They can mention that the option exists. Whether a concern suits a virtual visit is a clinical decision, and health details belong between the employee and the clinician.
What if an employee needs to take a visit during the workday?
Help them find a private room with a steady connection. A shared break room or a crowded truck cab is not private.
Official references.
IRS: Internal Revenue Bulletin 2026-02, for the HSA and telehealth guidance. General information, not legal or tax advice.
Explain virtual care at your next enrollment.
We cover telehealth, costs and the HSA rule in group, individual and live virtual sessions, at no extra fee for client teams.