A doctor’s waiting room is a great place to encounter someone with a bug you don’t want. But you can actually avoid stepping into one when you need care. Fortunately, there are a number of great telemedicine options that offer comprehensive online services.
Telemedicine is also often more affordable than in-person treatment, especially if you don’t have health insurance.
4 Affordable Telemedicine Options
It might be difficult to address major medical concerns via telemedicine. Still, they might help put your mind at ease or take care of other problems.
1. Amwell
Amwell hosts a wide range of medical professionals, including general physicians, specialists and mental health care providers, all of whom you can connect with 24/7. You can access services like nutrition counseling and pediatrics and breastfeeding support. You can even chat with a licensed psychiatrist.
Costs vary depending on what kind of services you need, but they start at $69 for a general urgent care visit. Your cost may be less if you have a qualifying insurance plan, and you can access care from your web browser or the company’s smartphone app, which is available for both Android and Apple devices.
2. Teladoc
Teladoc is another telemedicine platform that offers anytime access to doctors and mental health professionals via phone, video or app.
While your costs may be reduced if you have qualifying insurance, uninsured patients will pay the following amounts for common services:
- Everyday care: $75
- Dermatology: $75
- Licensed mental health therapist: $90
- Psychiatrist: $229 for the first visit and $99 for ongoing visits
3. Doctor on Demand
Founded in 2012, Doctor on Demand is one of the original names in telemedicine, offering consults with medical doctors as well as licensed therapists and psychiatrists.
Although lower prices may be available for patients with insurance, self-pay patients benefit from transparent pricing and can expect to pay the following prices:
- $75 for a 15-minute consultation with a medical doctor
- $129 for a 25-minute consultation with a psychologist
- $179 for a 50-minute consultation with a psychologist
- $229 for a 45-minute consultation with a psychiatrist
- $129 for a 15-minute follow-up with a psychiatrist
4. MDLive
MDLive has doctors on call 24 hours a day. They offer urgent care visits as well as dermatologists, counselors, psychiatrists and pediatric specialists.
MDLive doesn’t publish the cost of urgent care visits, because your exact cost will vary with your insurance, but dermatology is $65 or less, counseling $99 or less, and psychiatry $259 or less depending on your coverage. (This post on the MDLive blog also estimates the cost of a virtual doctor visit between $40-$50, making it much more affordable than a visit to the ER.)
Along with these telemedicine platforms, it’s also a good idea to reach out to your primary care physician about remote options. Many practices are beginning to offer telephone and video consultations, although costs may vary, especially if you’re uninsured and visiting a private practice.
Jamie Cattanach’s work has been featured at Fodor’s, Yahoo, SELF, The Huffington Post, The Motley Fool and other outlets. Learn more at www.jamiecattanach.com.
This was originally published on The Penny Hoarder, which helps millions of readers worldwide earn and save money by sharing unique job opportunities, personal stories, freebies and more. The Inc. 5000 ranked The Penny Hoarder as the fastest-growing private media company in the U.S. in 2017.
No comments:
Post a Comment