Mental health conditions were the most common telehealth diagnosis category among commercially insured patients in the United States during the first quarter of 2026, according to newly released data from FAIR Health. The findings highlight the continued role of virtual care in delivering behavioral health services across diverse patient populations.
The analysis, based on commercial insurance claims from January through March 2026, found that mental health conditions accounted for 52% of telehealth patients nationally. Mental health also ranked as the leading diagnostic category in every U.S. Census region and across all age groups.
Although behavioral health dominated telehealth utilization, prevalence varied by age. Approximately 27% of telehealth patients aged nine years and younger had claims associated with mental health conditions, while the figure was 22% among adults aged 65 and older. Even within these groups, mental health remained the most frequently reported telehealth diagnosis category.
The report also identified obesity-related care as a significant area of virtual healthcare activity. Claims related to being overweight or obese ranked third nationally among telehealth diagnostic categories. Obesity-related claims also placed among the top five diagnostic categories for adults aged 19–30, 31–40, and 41–50. Regionally, obesity ranked third in the Midwest and Northeast and fifth in both the South and West.
From a procedural perspective, established patient office or outpatient services represented the leading telehealth procedure category nationally and across all regions. Psychotherapy services ranked second, further underscoring the importance of virtual behavioral healthcare.
Overall telehealth utilization continued to expand. Telehealth represented 5.51% of all medical claim lines nationally during the first quarter, compared with 5.01% in the fourth quarter of 2025, reflecting a 10.1% relative increase. The proportion of patients with at least one telehealth claim also rose from 17.3% to 18.4% over the same period.
The data revealed persistent differences between urban and rural populations. Nationally, 18.6% of urban patients had a telehealth claim during the quarter, compared with 10.3% of rural patients. However, rural telehealth adoption grew at a faster rate, increasing 7.8% quarter over quarter versus 6.2% in urban areas.
The findings align with broader trends in behavioral healthcare demand. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 23% of U.S. adults live with a mental health condition, while digital and hybrid behavioral health providers continue to expand services focused on therapy, psychiatry, care coordination, and long-term mental health support.
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