Can You Get a Prescription Online? What Telehealth Can (and Can’t) Do

How Does Online Prescribing Work?

When you have a telehealth visit with a licensed physician, they conduct a real clinical evaluation — reviewing your symptoms, medical history, current medications, and allergies — and make a prescribing decision the same way they would in person. If a prescription is appropriate, it's sent electronically (e-prescribed) directly to the pharmacy of your choice. You receive a text or notification when it's ready, and you pick it up the same day.

The physician must be licensed in the state where you're physically located at the time of the visit. At Li Health Clinic, we're licensed in Maryland, Virginia, DC, Georgia, California, and Pennsylvania.

What Can Be Prescribed Via Telehealth?

A very broad range of medications can be prescribed through telehealth, including:

• Antibiotics for UTIs, strep throat, sinus infections, skin infections, pink eye
• Antivirals for cold sores, shingles (early presentation)
• Prescription allergy medications, nasal steroids
• Blood pressure medications (for established patients)
• GLP-1 medications for weight loss (Wegovy, Ozempic, Zepbound)
• Topical treatments for skin conditions like eczema or rashes
• Referrals for lab work and imaging

What Cannot Be Prescribed via Telehealth?

Some categories of medications have specific restrictions:

• Controlled substances(Schedule II–V): DEA regulations generally require an in-person evaluation before a controlled substance can be first prescribed. This includes opioids, stimulants (Adderall), benzodiazepines, and sleep medications. Refills for established patients may be possible in some cases.
• Medications requiring in-person physical exam: Some conditions genuinely require auscultation, palpation, or other hands-on assessment before prescribing is safe
• Medications for conditions outside our scope: A telehealth urgent care visit is not the appropriate setting for all medical decisions

Does Telehealth Accept Insurance for Prescriptions?

The consultation fee may or may not be covered by insurance depending on your plan. The prescription itself, once sent to your pharmacy, goes through your pharmacy benefit the same way an in-person prescription would. Insurance coverage for the medication depends on your plan and the specific drug.

Is It Safe to Get Prescriptions Online?

When done by a licensed physician through a legitimate telehealth platform — yes, absolutely. The risks come from platforms that use questionnaires without actual physician review, or that prescribe medications without appropriate clinical evaluation. At Li Health, every prescription is the result of a real video encounter with a board-certified physician. No shortcuts.