Ask what an online visit can actually cover

• Will this be video, phone, messages or a form reviewed later?
• Can the person reviewing my answers ask me for more detail?
• Can I also ask them questions and get a reply?
• If I need to be examined in person, what happens next?

The Federation of State Medical Boards accepts live visits or replies sent later in its guidance. Either format must be able to deliver the care needed.

That advice was checked September 26, 2026. Each state’s rules still apply.

• Who reviews the answers, and how can that person ask for more detail?
• Ask how you can correct something you wrote or add a missing detail.

The model policy rejects treatment resting only on a fixed questionnaire that cannot gather the information needed for care.

Under California’s rule checked September 26, 2026, a form may be enough for an assessment, but only if the care meets the standard expected of the person treating you. A form alone cannot prove that the care meets this standard; it depends on the particular case.

Idaho’s rule, checked on September 26, 2026, rejects a prescription based solely on a static online questionnaire.

• If remote assessment leaves a gap, ask where the needed examination or test can happen.
• Ask who will review the result and explain the next step.