Author Topic: Virtual doctor visit services  (Read 3258 times)

freya

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Virtual doctor visit services
« on: April 01, 2019, 06:22:49 AM »
Has anyone made use of these?  For simple health issues, they're a great fallback.  Like an urgent care or unscheduled primary care visit except by video, and you "wait" in your own home.  They're also cash only with an upfront fee, so great for people with catastrophic/high deductible insurance. 

My health insurance company has arrangements with a couple of services, but Virtuwell (https://www.virtuwell.com) is an interesting option.  They start with a long questionnaire that you fill out for free, before having to pay for the visit.  This can be useful all by itself, because by the end you have a pretty good idea where the diagnosis is going.

Something like this directing you to common conditions & simple home remedies (and when to actually seek medical help) would be dead useful, assuming that legal/liability issues don't make it impossible.   Like, a questionnaire that starts with a symptom and ends with a simple info screen:  "You probably have this common condition.  Try this conservative treatment first, then if it doesn't resolve by X time, go see your doctor."   Boom, you just saved several hundred $$ not to mention a lot of your time.   There are insurance company hotlines and services with monthly subscription fees like justanswer that simply involve phone calls, but an online questionnaire would be so much easier and quicker than calling a number, waiting forever on hold, confirming your identity etc etc.

Papa bear

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Re: Virtual doctor visit services
« Reply #1 on: April 01, 2019, 07:20:46 AM »
I haven’t used one personally, but they are getting very popular.  There is a big push to get these types of visits in rural areas where specialists aren’t available. Think, go to hospital, virtually see specialist in room with extra equipment for remote diagnosis.

In addition, there are start-up private practices happening all over the place for virtual medicine. And this isn’t just your PCP or psych.  The most recent one I saw was for orthopedics.  That’s something that I for sure thought you would need to be “touched” to be treated. 

Anyway, point of this is, let’s all get used to this, it’s coming soon to a doctor office near you!


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ditheca

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Re: Virtual doctor visit services
« Reply #2 on: April 01, 2019, 10:22:41 PM »
My DW uses them frequently.

Teachstache

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Re: Virtual doctor visit services
« Reply #3 on: April 03, 2019, 06:40:12 PM »
Yes. Spouse, myself & my 4 year old son have all received care or recommendations through these. I've seen them for sinus infections, so has spouse. Son saw them for sinus infections but they said due to his age, they couldn't prescribe anything. They didn't charge us for son's visit due to him needing to be referred to his pediatrician for diagnosis.

AlotToLearn

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Re: Virtual doctor visit services
« Reply #4 on: April 05, 2019, 07:56:42 AM »
I have used MD Live a few times in the past year for basic stuff (sinus infection) and it was great. The video call took all of 3 minutes, and they sent my prescription to the pharmacy 10 minutes later. I would use them again vs. an urgent care.

I'm a red panda

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Re: Virtual doctor visit services
« Reply #5 on: April 05, 2019, 09:41:09 AM »
We've used the one affiliated with our local hospital/clinics. The waiting time was very long (45 minutes?), but at least we got to wait at home...

It was easy, and we got the meds we needed.
I wonder if this will again contribute to over prescribing antibiotics though. 2 minutes of talking to a doctor and a prescription was sent to our pharmacy...

Our insurance does not cover it, but it is cheaper than our copay. But then it doesn't apply to the deductible/OOP max, so that's annoying.

freya

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Re: Virtual doctor visit services
« Reply #6 on: April 05, 2019, 07:29:35 PM »
I took the plunge and tried it to get prescription eyedrops for seasonal allergies, and it's the bomb.  Love it.  So easy, and only a 10 minute wait (AT HOME!) even though it was Friday night which has to be the worst possible time to call.

I used Doctor on Demand because there's a deal with my insurance company for $49/visit, which counts toward my out of pocket maximum.  It's higher than a typical visit copay and that's kind of irritating, because if anything it should cost LESS than a face to face visit.  Still, if you total up all the costs of a doctor visit (copay, transit cost, parking/tolls, your time) this probably comes out ahead.

Mtngrl

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Re: Virtual doctor visit services
« Reply #7 on: April 11, 2019, 01:05:29 PM »
I used this when I came down with bronchitis while visiting my in-laws in another state. My ACA insurance only covers emergency care out-of-state and I wasn't sure the insurance company would deem bronchitis a true emergency. For a flat $35 fee, I saw the doctor from the comfort of my room and came away with a prescription that solved the problem. (FYI, if anyone else finds themselves in a similar situation, when making your appt. be sure to specify the state you are from, not the state you are in. The first doctor had to log out and I had to remake the appt. with a physician who was licensed in the state I was from.)


Parizade

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Re: Virtual doctor visit services
« Reply #8 on: April 12, 2019, 06:21:52 PM »
I've used these a few times with success. the first time was for vertigo,  the doctor suggested an OTC allergy med that did the trick so I didn't even need a prescription.

freya

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Re: Virtual doctor visit services
« Reply #9 on: April 13, 2019, 06:24:10 AM »
I used this when I came down with bronchitis while visiting my in-laws in another state. My ACA insurance only covers emergency care out-of-state and I wasn't sure the insurance company would deem bronchitis a true emergency. For a flat $35 fee, I saw the doctor from the comfort of my room and came away with a prescription that solved the problem. (FYI, if anyone else finds themselves in a similar situation, when making your appt. be sure to specify the state you are from, not the state you are in. The first doctor had to log out and I had to remake the appt. with a physician who was licensed in the state I was from.)

Nice.  Which services charges just $35?  I couldn't find anything for less than $50.

Mtngrl

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Re: Virtual doctor visit services
« Reply #10 on: April 24, 2019, 04:08:33 PM »
I used this when I came down with bronchitis while visiting my in-laws in another state. My ACA insurance only covers emergency care out-of-state and I wasn't sure the insurance company would deem bronchitis a true emergency. For a flat $35 fee, I saw the doctor from the comfort of my room and came away with a prescription that solved the problem. (FYI, if anyone else finds themselves in a similar situation, when making your appt. be sure to specify the state you are from, not the state you are in. The first doctor had to log out and I had to remake the appt. with a physician who was licensed in the state I was from.)

Nice.  Which services charges just $35?  I couldn't find anything for less than $50.


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Blueberries

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Re: Virtual doctor visit services
« Reply #11 on: May 15, 2019, 07:42:16 PM »
Yes. Spouse, myself & my 4 year old son have all received care or recommendations through these. I've seen them for sinus infections, so has spouse. Son saw them for sinus infections but they said due to his age, they couldn't prescribe anything. They didn't charge us for son's visit due to him needing to be referred to his pediatrician for diagnosis.

I had a similar experience, but I was charged, which rubbed me the wrong way.  The fee was reasonable, but that's not the point.  We haven't needed to call since.

SmileAllDay

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Re: Virtual doctor visit services
« Reply #12 on: May 16, 2019, 12:29:44 AM »
Ptf

Linea_Norway

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Re: Virtual doctor visit services
« Reply #13 on: May 16, 2019, 02:42:32 AM »
My job's health insurance covers a virtual doctor on an app. A couple of my co-workers have used it to get a doctor's proof for getting sick leave. One said that he had the same symptoms of his wife (some kind of flu) and he got his doctor's proof without problems.

I once read on fb about refreshing your childhood vaccinations as an adult. I contacted the virtual doctor to talk about it and get a subscription. But we only talked and he told me to use the app to order a subscription. But when I used the app, I obviously didn't use the right scheme and was denied a subscription. I think I tried again, but never got the subscription.

I am still not convinced whether we really need a refreshment of the vaccins.

Parizade

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Re: Virtual doctor visit services
« Reply #14 on: May 16, 2019, 06:37:53 AM »

I am still not convinced whether we really need a refreshment of the vaccins.

When I was pregnant, I was tested for Rubella (German Measles) and was told I had no antibodies and would have to be vaccinated. This virus can cause severe birth defects in pregnant women so it's a concern.

I was very surprised because i HAD rubella as a child (5 yrs old), then was required to be vaccinated for rubella when I went to college (18 yrs old). I thought surely this was enough to protect me but apparently not. By the time I got pregnant (29 yrs old) the immunity had worn off. So, I am no longer skeptical that I need refresher vaccines

Linea_Norway

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Re: Virtual doctor visit services
« Reply #15 on: May 16, 2019, 06:49:05 AM »

I am still not convinced whether we really need a refreshment of the vaccins.

When I was pregnant, I was tested for Rubella (German Measles) and was told I had no antibodies and would have to be vaccinated. This virus can cause severe birth defects in pregnant women so it's a concern.

I was very surprised because i HAD rubella as a child (5 yrs old), then was required to be vaccinated for rubella when I went to college (18 yrs old). I thought surely this was enough to protect me but apparently not. By the time I got pregnant (29 yrs old) the immunity had worn off. So, I am no longer skeptical that I need refresher vaccines

Thanks, that was useful. My DH had measles as a child. That was 3 years before it was included in the children vaccination program. So he isn't innume either. The doctor said you would have to refresh every 10 years.