14 Telemedicine Services for Health Care at Home During the Pandemic

Telemedicine has made health care far more financially accessible for many. In addition to potentially being less expensive than a traditional hospital visit, telehealth services can connect patients to providers in real time over great distances. And with the country still grappling with COVID-19 outbreaks, leaving many hospitals and medical providers overwhelmed with patients, telemedicine services have suddenly become even more attractive to those hoping to avoid an in-person trip to a medical facility or doctor. For those not familiar with some of the telemedicine providers in this country, here's a look at 14 such services and their typical costs.

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Service provided: General health
Cost: Starts at $10 monthly, billed annually
Membership with HealthTap brings access to visits via text or video with board-certified doctors 24 hours a day, seven days a week. You get unlimited medical "visits" as part of the monthly membership fee. Doctors associated with HealthTap can write and refill prescriptions; order lab results; and refer you to specialists. The company offers a network of more than 90,000 U.S.-licensed, board-certified physicians.

Service provided: General health
Cost: $99 for individuals, $178 for families monthly
Beyond the monthly fees at SteadyMD, there are no additional fees or copays. The service partners each patient with a doctor based on their medical needs, interests, and health goals. The process includes a comprehensive initial video chat that lasts about an hour. After that patients can text their doctor at any time when sick, injured, or needing medication and get same-day phone or video appointments. There are physicians in all 50 states.

Service provided: Mental health
Cost: $45 the first month, increasing to $99 monthly
Cerebral, a mental health subscription service, offers clients ongoing, comprehensive access to online care and medication management. Its physicians treat anxiety, depression, and insomnia. The company has providers who can serve residents needing prescriptions in California, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Maryland, Michigan, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Texas.

Related: Considering Online Therapy to Cope With the Pandemic? What You Need to Know

Service provided: Migraine management
Cost: $20 to $55 monthly
Cove offers Food and Drug Administration-approved acute and preventative medications to patients, as well as personalized treatment plans and the ability to message licensed doctors with questions and concerns. Its services are available to residents over the age of 18 throughout the United States.

Service provided: Focused on hypothyroidism
Cost: $75 to $99 depending on service selected
Paloma Health focuses on the condition of hypothyroidism. Its providers include board-certified doctors who are thyroid specialists and holistic doctors. Services offered include blood tests, medical guidance, and prescriptions. Paloma Health is available to residents of California, Texas, Florida, Illinois, Colorado, and Arizona.

Service provided: Sexual health
Cost: $15 initial consultation fee; testing kit fees vary
A sexual health provider, Nurx offers birth control prescription refills, home testing kits for sexually transmitted diseases, genital herpes treatment, oral herpes treatment, and more. The initial consultation fee includes unlimited messaging with the Nurx medical team for the length of any prescription from the company's providers. Test kits provided by Nurx range in cost. For those with health insurance, some kits cost $75 plus insurance copays and deductibles, and possibly lab fees. Kit costs without health insurance are higher, from $150 to $220. Nurx is available in a long list of states, but not all 50.

Service provided: General health
Cost: $49 out of pocket or covered by insurance
Providence Express Care Virtual offers live video visits with board-certified physicians. The company accepts most insurance plans, but visits are $49 without insurance. A long list of conditions can be addressed by providers in this network, including fevers, cough, cold, flu, sore through, bronchitis, pet allergies, and seasonal allergies. Services are available to residents of California, Alaska, Montana, Oregon, and Washington.

Service provided: General health
Cost: $9 monthly, $99 a year
For a monthly fee, Galileo members have access to medical care 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Providers are available to treat everyday health issues as well as more complex or ongoing conditions, including acne, anxiety, bronchitis, depression, ear infections, and fatigue. Galileo is available to patients in California, Connecticut, New York, Pennsylvania, and Washington.

Service provided: Women's health
Cost: $69 per visit
Focused on women's health, Amwell treats a variety of conditions including menopause, PMS, UTIs, and more. Medical visits are handled by board-certified, licensed and credentialed physicians and take place via smartphone, desktop, or telephone, often using video to allow providers to better diagnose health concerns. No appointments are necessary; care is provided on-demand. Services are available in all 50 states and are covered by many health insurance plans.

Service provided: Men's health
Cost: $15 consultation, with prescriptions of $2 to $70 monthly
Describing itself as a digital health clinic for men, Roman offers treatment for sexual health issues such as erectile dysfunction and genital herpes and treats such concerns as hair loss, eczema, and excessive sweating. Its physicians also attend to heart health, bone health, and more. Prices vary widely depending on the medication required for treatment and the condition being treated.

Related: The Top 10 Causes of Death for Men and How to Protect Yourself

Service provided: General health
Cost: $30 for first three months, then $120 annually, plus $1 per visit
The 98point6 service offers on-demand primary care via text message routed through a mobile app; care is provided by board-certified physicians who can diagnose and treat health conditions 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Physicians cover a full range of primary care needs, from medical questions to diagnosis, treatments, prescriptions, and labs. Services are available in all 50 states.

Service provided: General health
Cost: $59 out of pocket or covered by insurance
It's free to sign up for LiveHealth, and there are no monthly fees. Visits are $59 or less if you don't have a health plan, nationwide. Conditions treated 24 hours a day, seven days a week include allergies, flu, minor rashes, pink eye, skin infections, sore throat, and more.

Service provided: General health
Cost: $49 out of pocket or covered by insurance
Like many other virtual care providers, Virtuwell offers visits 24 hours a day, seven days a week. It promises treatment within about an hour, including diagnoses, a customized treatment plan, and prescriptions if needed. The service is built around board-certified nurse practitioners who create patient treatment plans. Its providers can address an extensive list of conditions ranging from acne, rashes, colds and flu, and bladder infections. The company will bill your insurance if possible, which may reduce out-of-pocket costs. Services are available in 13 states and seeking to expand.

Service provided: General health
Cost: $20 to $100 monthly
HeyDoctor is intended to be affordable. Each service has a different fee, but many visit costs are about $20 with a few services ranging as high as $100. Physicians and providers speak over the phone or via computer to provide advice, prescriptions, and labs. HeyDoctor is available only in states where its physicians live: California, Washington, and New York.