#United States #New York #Telehealth #obesity #health data

Overweight and Obesity Enter the Telehealth Arena

In a significant trend observed in February 2025, overweight and obesity ascended to the ranks of the top five telehealth diagnostic categories, securing the fourth position according to FAIR Health's Monthly Telehealth Regional Tracker. This category represented a notable 1.9% share of the entire telehealth claims at the national level, indicating a shift in how health concerns, particularly weight management, are increasingly addressed through virtual healthcare platforms.

Regional Insights on Overweight and Obesity

Analyzing the regional trends, overweight and obesity diagnoses ranked third among telehealth claims in both the Midwest and Northeast US census regions for January and February. Conversely, this concern emerged in fifth place in the West during February, while the South region did not feature this category among its top rankings. This comprehensive view underscores the variances in health issues prioritized in telehealth across different regions, revealing a growing reliance on digital avenues for managing weight-related health concerns.

Mental Health Dominates the Telehealth Landscape

While the rise of overweight and obesity in telehealth is noteworthy, mental health conditions remained unabated at the top of the diagnostic categories. Nationally and across all regions, mental health diagnoses accounted for 62.3% of telehealth claims in February, showing an increase from 58.5% in January. The Northeast reported the highest levels of mental health claims, at 67.9%, compared to only 56.7% in the South. This dichotomy highlights the parallel ascendancy of both physical and mental health attention as telehealth continues to evolve.

Overall Utilization Trends

In terms of overall telehealth utilization, February 2025 saw a decline in the percentage of patients making telehealth claims. The national figure dropped from 14.9% in January to 14.5% in February, a change reflecting a 2.8% decrease. This downward trend was mirrored regionally, with variations observed—ranging from a 2.6% drop in the South to a 4.3% decline in the West. Despite the decrease in claims, instances of telehealth claim lines as a percentage of all medical claims showed a slight uptick nationally, motivated by increased lines specifically in the South.

Urban vs. Rural Telehealth Utilization

Interestingly, the telehealth landscape remains disparate between urban and rural areas. Urban settings displayed higher engagement with telehealth services, where 14.6% utilized these services compared to only 7.9% in rural regions. This gap was most pronounced in the West, indicating that urban residents are far more likely to adopt telehealth solutions for their healthcare needs.

Age Group Telehealth Engagement

Delving deeper into patient demographics, young adults aged 19-30 and the 31-40 age group emerged as the primary users of telehealth services, constituting 23.9% and 22.8%, respectively. Additionally, the younger (0-9) and older (65+) age brackets represented less than 10% of telehealth claims, suggesting that middle-aged and young adults are spearheading this shift towards remote healthcare.

Leading Procedure Categories

Turning to the types of services accessed via telehealth, the established patient office visits and psychotherapy continued to lead as the two most prevalent procedures in February. Established patient office visits accounted for 48.1%, down from 50.6% previously, while psychotherapy claims surged to 47.1%. These statistics reveal how both routine and mental health care are increasingly integrated into telehealth frameworks, aligning with changes in patient’s health management preferences.

Conclusion

As the telehealth landscape transforms, the elevation of overweight and obesity into its top diagnostic categories signals a growing recognition of the importance of weight management in healthcare. With a notable increase in mental health focus alongside, the insights captured in FAIR Health's data will undoubtedly shape the future of telehealth as it adapts to patient needs in an evolving healthcare ecosystem.