Telehealth Advantages
Telehealth services, including telephonic consultations and videoconferencing, can make medical care more accessible and convenient for your employees while reducing medical expenses for your health plan. It provides the care members need without the use of more expensive urgent care and ER visits.
Quality Consultations through Teladoc
MedCost Benefit Services is partnered with Teladoc, the first and largest provider of telehealth consultations in the nation, to offer telehealth services for our clients. Employees have 24/7/365 access to telephonic or online video consultations with U.S. board-certified physicians and pediatricians who are licensed to practice medicine in their respective states.
(Please note: Teladoc is available in every state except Idaho; videoconferencing is not allowed in Iowa, Louisiana, Missouri, Ohio and Texas.)
Teladoc providers can diagnose, recommend treatment, and write short-term, non-DEA prescriptions when appropriate. The most common conditions that members call Teladoc about are infections (respiratory and urinary tract), allergies, pain (skeletal, muscle, and arthritic), minor joint trauma (sprains and strains), and gastroenteritis. Teladoc is the first and only telehealth company in the U.S. to have a provider credentialing process certified by the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA), and most Teladoc providers have an average of 15 years of medical practice experience.
Affordable and Timely Alternative
Teladoc is not intended to replace primary care providers, but it is a convenient alternative for employees who may have trouble getting timely appointments with their primary care physician or who may find it difficult to take time away from work for an office visit. Teladoc also is helpful to employees living in rural areas underserved by physicians or those who are traveling for work or vacation. Members can request a consultation with a Teladoc provider over the phone or online. They will be required to answer some medical history questions, and once that information has been provided, the employee will receive a call back from a physician within an hour, guaranteed. (The average call back time is 22 minutes.) And, with a consultation cost that is in line with many office visit co-payment amounts, it is a more affordable option for members than visiting an urgent care center or emergency room for non-urgent care.
Easy Implementation into Your Health Plan
Teladoc through MedCost Benefit Services can be added to your health plan at any time, not just at plan renewal.* Implementation is quick, easy, and seamlessly integrated with the other services in your health plan. Consultation information is sent to the health plan and can be sent to the member’s primary care physician to ensure continuity of care.
Teladoc App for On-the-Go Access
With Teladoc’s free app, members can access their Teladoc account and even talk to a doctor on the go using their phone or tablet, anytime, anywhere. The free member app is available through the Apple App Store® or Google Play®.
*Implementation of Teladoc will require a 60-day notification to your health plan members since it affects the Summary of Benefits and Coverage.