Sydney Butler · November 18, 2024 · 6 min read Going to the doctor’s office can be trying at the best of times, but in the middle of a global pandemic, it can be downright dangerous. Thanks to smartphones and the internet, you can now access medical professionals at a distance, get the help you need and even have prescriptions delivered. These are some of the best telehealth apps today, and all of them accept several insurance providers.
1. Teladoc (Android & iOS)
Teladoc offers several types of care. Most people will likely use their general medical services that let you consult with a doctor or pediatrician 24/7 for non-emergency conditions.
Teladoc also offers primary care services, including scheduled visits by a doctor for checkups, mental health services, specialist opinions, and general wellness.
Teladoc states that “Many health plans and employers provide Teladoc as part of their benefits when it comes to insurance.” The costs of its various services depending on your specific benefits through your insurance provider.
2. MDLIVE (Android & iOS)
MDLIVE provides instant access to board-certified doctors and licensed therapists. After consulting with a physician, you can even be prescribed medication. There are three main types of care, each with its own price range. These are urgent care, behavioral care, and dermatology.
Urgent care includes conditions such as UTIs, ear pain, allergies, colds, flu, and so on. Behavioral care includes most types of mental health conditions, and dermatology covers basically everything related to your skin, including evaluation of suspicious moles.
MDLIVE says it supports most insurance plans but that users can quickly check if they qualify by simply creating an account and entering their details.
3. Doctor On Demand (Android & iOS)
Doctor on Demand bills itself as “total virtual care” and offers urgent care, behavioral care, preventative care, and chronic treatment. They are partnered with many different health plans, including most of the major names. There’s a good chance that your current insurance already includes Doctor on Demand as a benefit, albeit rebranded in some cases.
4. LiveHealth Online (Android & iOS)
LiveHealth offers general medical care, allergy treatment, and mental health. Their mental health offerings cover both psychological and psychiatric treatments. Visits cost at most $59, but if your insurance covers part or all of this, it can be much cheaper. Some employers also have agreements with LiveHealth, so it may be worth checking if yours does.
LiveHealth is particularly notable for offering online therapy from licensed psychologists or having a psychiatrist on-call who can prescribe medications such as antidepressants.
The way LiveHealth is set up, you’ll see how much a visit will cost you before committing to it. So if your insurance or employer will cover a portion of the cost, you’ll only see the amount you’ll actually be paying.
The costs of consultations don’t change based on time, so 24/7, on weekends and holidays, you pay a flat rate. It’s also worth noting that you can speak to a Spanish-speaking doctor, but your device’s settings must be set to Spanish to get the right version of the app, and those doctors are only available during certain hours.
5. Healthtap (Android & iOS)
Healthtap advertises itself as the most affordable virtual primary care provider, and its out-of-pocket prices seem very reasonable. Thankfully they also accept various insurance providers, so your copay will be even less and perhaps even zero!
Healthtap puts particular emphasis on health issues that are specific to men or women, as well as sexual health issues. However, it is a general virtual health provider and caters to children’s health and general chronic conditions.
One notable feature of Healthtap is Healthtap AI. This is a symptom checker trained by the diagnostic knowledge of real doctors and can help you narrow down your problem or let you know if you have something more serious that requires professional attention.
6. Plushcare (Android & iOS)
Plushcare boasts a user base of over 300,000 users and is available across the US. Plushcare hires its physicians from the top 50 medical schools, and of course, they are all board-certified to legally practice medicine.
One interesting wrinkle in Plushcare’s service is their promise that if their online doctor cannot treat you, the session will be free. That’s pretty confident, but treatments happen in 97% of first visits by their own estimates.
Plushcare accepts most major insurance providers and says that most insured users have a copay of around $25. However, uninsured users pay less for a virtual visit than in-person visits usually cost.
Another nice feature is that they have an insurance checker, so you can quickly find out if you’re covered.
7. Amwell (Android & iOS)
Amwell offers on-demand or scheduled primary care for urgent issues such as respiratory infections, diarrhea, flu, pink eye, and so on. However, they also offer mental health services that include depression and anxiety treatment, bereavement, trauma, couple’s therapy, and even divorce counselling.
This makes Amwell an attractive service for those facing these particular life challenges. On the psychiatric side of things, you can get help with serious conditions that may require medication in addition to therapy, such as eating disorders, PTSD, and psychosis.
Amwell also has wellness services that include nutrition advice for weight control, allergies, hypertension, pregnancy diets, and help with planning meals for your children. Mothers can also benefit from Amwell’s lactation consulting, where your concerns or problems with breastfeeding can receive attention.
Unlike some other virtual providers, there can be quite a difference in charges for the different types of services. An urgent care consultation costs $79, but an initial psychiatric assessment costs $269 (with $90 for follow-ups). These are the prices without insurance, and Amwell lets you put your insurance information into their app to see what your rates will be in advance. Just be aware that you won’t have a flat co-pay rate.
8. Zocdoc (Android & iOS)
Zocdoc is a little different from the other virtual providers on this list because they aren’t laser-focused on virtual care only. Zocdoc lets you find doctors in your area, see information about them to decide who you want to see, and then either book an in-person visit or schedule a video call with them.
Another neat feature is that you can scan your insurance card, and Zocdoc will show you a list of doctors that work with your insurance. So it really can help you find a doctor you’re covered for quickly, even when you physically want to visit one.
Additionally, you can filter doctors according to your symptoms and only see ones that match the problem you’re likely to have. Zocdoc is not a virtual care provider but an intermediary that quickly matches your insurance and health needs with the right people.
The Doctor Is In!
Telehealth used to be nothing but a pipedream, but with widespread smartphone ownership and broadband, it’s never been easier to get the medical care you need at any time, no matter where you are.
