Need to Get a Prescription Online? Here’s How Telemedicine Can Help
Key takeaways:
Telemedicine helps you access healthcare easier — through online access. It lets you have a medical visit and get a prescription online without having to see a provider in person.
With telemedicine, an online provider can review your medical history, check your symptoms, and treat you. So getting a prescription is easier.
Telemedicine can help in many situations, like if you need antibiotics for a minor illness or a prescription refill for a chronic condition.
For many conditions, telemedicine can make getting care a lot faster and easier. Telemedicine helps you compare treatment prices, find a provider, and schedule an appointment — all from the comfort of your own home. It also allows you to get an online prescription (e-prescription) quickly, without having to go visit your provider. This is true whether you have mental health concerns or acne or you need birth control or refills for a chronic condition.
But with so many services out there, it’s worth knowing your options and whether telemedicine can help treat your health conditions. We’ll look at the advantages of telemedicine and how online prescribing works. We’ll also review some of the more common telemedicine providers and the services they provide.
Reasons to consider telemedicine
There are quite a few reasons you may want to use telemedicine. Here are some of the potential benefits of telemedicine over a traditional visit.
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Convenience
One reason for a virtual healthcare visit is the convenience. If you’re coming down with something and don’t want to leave your bed, a quick call or video chat with a provider is easy.
Even if you just need a routine prescription, you can save time, gas, or car fare by skipping a trip to the office. Telemedicine is also a good option if you can’t take time off work or school, or if you would need to find childcare.
Accessibility
In the past, telemedicine typically offered care for general health concerns (much like a primary care physician). Today, many platforms provide routine treatments and specialized care for most areas, like:
Behavioral health
Sexual health
Dermatology
Preventive care
Chronic conditions
Physical therapy (PT)
Many have also partnered with local labs to offer convenient and affordable tests and screenings.
Telemedicine services will match you with a board-certified provider. This spares you the hassle of searching for an in-network provider who accepts new patients and is close to you. This makes it easy to get exactly the type of medical attention you need — and when you need it.
Lower costs and insurance coverage
A telemedicine visit is likely to save you some money. But the cost will vary depending on which medical services you’re looking for. A 10-minute general consultation for common issues (like cold and flu, allergies, or a UTI) starts at around $15. A 45-minute psychiatric consultation can cost about $250.
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Many telemedicine providers accept insurance or partner with employers to offer lower fees (either as a copay or a subsidized fee). Providers who don’t accept insurance may still be more affordable than your insurance copay for an in-person visit.
Most private insurance plans will cover a telemedicine visit. But before you make an appointment, ask your insurance company what your coverage includes. And check to see if you need prior approval for telehealth services.
Medicare and Medicaid have also expanded telemedicine coverage because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Medicare will pay for telemedicine visits for several types of providers. Medicaid coverage for telemedicine varies by state.
Patient support
Along with a provider, many telemedicine platforms will pair you with a care coordinator or care team to make sure you have a good experience. Even before your virtual visit, they can help get you ready by gathering basic information, like your:
Photo ID
Insurance details
Pharmacy preferences
Medical history
They may also follow up to see how your treatment is going. And they may even help find cost-saving medication options, with or without insurance.
Can you get a prescription online?
It depends. In some cases, you can get a prescription online without seeing a provider in person. But not all health issues can (or should) be addressed online. Each state also has their own laws about this. They set what can be prescribed without an in-person appointment or an established relationship with a provider.
Many healthcare providers see telemedicine as a low-risk option for certain routine treatments. In many cases, you can get routine medications or antibiotics without seeing a provider in person. This is especially true if you have conditions that are not severe, like:
Is it possible to refill a prescription online without a provider?
If you have an active prescription and just need a refill, you may not even need to see a provider at all. Many telemedicine platforms have clinical staff who can help you without seeing a provider virtually.
Some telemedicine services may even help you transfer existing prescriptions to their platform. This helps you to avoid a fee for a new consultation. This may be easier with refills for an ongoing treatment like:
What telemedicine options are there?
There are a lot of telemedicine companies out there. Here’s just an example of what’s available. Each of the services below are available on iPhones, Android devices, and desktop computers. As with medication prices, it’s important to shop around to find one that fits your budget and needs.
Website | Services | Consultation fee starts at | Accepts insurance | Open 24/7 | Available in all states |
General health, women’s health, men’s health, behavioral health, mental health, sexual health, dermatology, overdose treatment, labs and screenings | $20 | No | No | No | |
Lemonaid | General health, women’s health, men’s health, behavioral health, mental health, sexual health, dermatology, overdose treatment, labs and screenings | $25 | No | No | Yes |
Maven Clinic (women and their children only) | General health, women’s health, behavioral health, mental health, diet and nutrition, pregnancy and postpartum, pediatrics, career and relationship coaching, physical therapy | $20 | No | No | Yes |
MDLIVE | General health, dermatology, behavioral health, mental health, urgent care | $75 (or less, depending on insurance) | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Doctor On Demand | General health, women’s health, men’s health, chronic care management, behavioral health, mental health, diet and nutrition, preventive care, urgent care, labs and screenings | $75 | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Teladoc | General health, dermatology, sexual health, behavioral health, mental health, pediatrics, diet and nutrition, back care, medical expert second opinion | $75 (or less depending on insurance) | Yes | Yes | Yes |
2nd.MD | In-depth second opinion of any chronic condition | $4,000 per out-of-plan consultation | Yes | No | Yes |
Nurx | Women’s health, sexual health | $15 (or less depending on insurance) | Yes | No | No |
Roman | Men’s health, sexual health, supplements | $15 | No | No | No |
The GoodRx Telehealth Marketplace
Trying to figure out which telehealth platform is right for you can be confusing. Every company has different services, prices, and states where they operate. And not all of them accept insurance.
The GoodRx Telehealth Marketplace makes it easier for you to understand your options. This lets you vet and compare trusted telemedicine companies. You can also browse over 100 offerings by treatment or lab test type.
The bottom line
Telemedicine is one option for getting easy access to healthcare. It allows you to get online prescriptions for minor illnesses or refills for ongoing conditions. There are lots of telehealth companies to choose from. Check out their costs, the states they serve, and the services they offer to find out which one is a good fit for you.
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References
Weigel, G., et al. (2020). Opportunities and barriers for telemedicine in the U.S. during the COVID-19 emergency and beyond. Kaiser Family Foundation.
