08/04/2026
Sending your kid to college this fall? Don't let telehealth be an afterthought.
Every August, parents spend weeks on dorm shopping lists, meal plans, and move-in logistics. Health coverage usually gets a five-minute conversation: "You're still on our plan, you're fine."
But "fine" doesn't account for what happens when your student is 300+ miles away and:
→ Comes down with strep the week before finals
→ Needs a prescription refilled and the campus health center has a two-week wait
→ Is dealing with anxiety and doesn't know where to start looking for a therapist
→ Gets a weird rash at 11pm and has no idea if it's urgent
This is exactly where telehealth earns its keep. A video visit in fifteen minutes beats an urgent care copay and a three-hour round trip you can't make anyway. Many plans include it standard now — but "included" and "understood" are two different things.
Before drop-off, I'd encourage every parent to actually walk through it with your student:
✔️ How to access telehealth through your specific plan (app, phone number, website)
✔️ What it covers — sick visits, mental health, prescription refills
✔️ What still requires an in-person urgent care or ER
✔️ Whether their college's health center offers access to care
An option you don't know about is an option you can't choose. And an 18-year-old navigating their first cold without you in the next room shouldn't have to figure this out from scratch.
If you're not sure what your plan actually offers for telehealth, or you want a quick review before move-in, happy to walk through it with you.
Learn more at https://telehealth.hhs.gov/patients/why-use-telehealth