10 Sesame Care alternatives for online doctor appointments

Are you looking for Sesame Care alternatives for online appointments with healthcare providers? You’re in luck! There are plenty of telehealth platform alternatives to Sesame Care out there.

During this guide, you’ll find out what Sesame Care is, 10 Sesame Care alternatives, and how to choose a Sesame Care alternative that suits you. Find a licensed provider on Klarity Health and get a telehealth appointment with a licensed healthcare provider within 24 hours.

Disclaimer: Providers on Klarity Health are independent practitioners with clinical autonomy; a diagnosis, treatment, or prescription is not guaranteed.

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Is Sesame Care worth it?

Sesame Care is a telehealth marketplace that connects you with licensed specialists, nurse practitioners, and primary care doctors for both telehealth care and in-person care. The healthcare company is available in all 50 states, but the provider availability depends on your location.

Sesame Care doesn’t accept any health insurance plans, so it’s meant for uninsured people or people with high-deductible health insurance plans. The telehealth costs vary, depending on the specific service and provider. Sesame Care offers multiple kinds of medical services, including:

• Primary care
• Urgent care
• Pediatric care
• Prescription refills
• Dermatology consultations
• Chronic medical condition management
• Mental health consultations
• Sexual health consultations

Pros and cons of Sesame Care

10 best Sesame Care alternatives

Here are the top 10 Sesame Care alternatives, as well as their pros and cons:

Klarity Health

Klarity Health is a national healthcare marketplace platform that connects people with licensed and board-certified healthcare providers. These healthcare providers specialize in mental health services, weight loss treatment, therapy, primary and preventative healthcare, and more. Klarity Health offers flexible and personalized telehealth care with consultations that cost as little as $0. You can find a healthcare provider on Klarity Health in as little as 24 hours.

Pros

• HSA/FSA eligible
• Offers provider messaging 24/7 
• Healthcare providers can prescribe you medication, including controlled substances, if they’re deemed medically appropriate.
• You can usually find same-day appointments.
• You’re able to filter healthcare providers by specialty, price, and more.
• Operates in all 50 states
• Accepts various insurances

Cons

• Healthcare services can be unavailable in some states.
• In-person visits can be necessary for some medications, particularly controlled substances.

PlushCare

PlushCare is a telehealth platform that provides same-day appointments for mental health care, urgent care, and primary care. The telehealth company accepts many of the major health insurance plans. You can also opt to sign up for the company’s monthly membership for $19.99 per month or $99 for an annual plan, and the membership’s first month is free. Telehealth services are available in all 50 states, which makes it easy to access telehealth no matter where you are.

Pros

• Accepts many commercial health insurance plans
• You can select your healthcare provider based on your particular preferences and situation.
• There are short wait times to meet with healthcare providers.

Cons

• There is a limited number of healthcare providers available.
• You need to sign up for a monthly membership if you want to get all the telehealth services provided.

MDLive

MDLive is a telehealth platform for online mental health and medical care. You can usually speak to a medical healthcare provider within an hour of signing up for the platform for any medical issues or concerns you have. The company also offers both therapy and psychiatry services to adults and children 10 years and older. For psychiatric care or psychotherapy, you might need to wait about a week. MDLive accepts most major health insurance plans.

Pros

• You can choose between live video or phone appointments.
• Accepts many of the major health insurance plans
• You can schedule appointments in as little as 24 hours or less.
• Provides many healthcare services, including medical visits, therapy, and psychiatry

Cons

• There are no bundles or discounts available for psychiatry and therapy services.
• There are no options to text your healthcare provider.
• Therapy and psychiatry aren’t available to kids under 10 years of age.

Teladoc

Teladoc is a comprehensive telehealth company that provides primary care, psychiatric, and mental health services. The company offers next-day or same-day availability in many states. It’s available nationally and covered by most commercial health insurance plans. Teladoc also makes it simple to quickly find and see a healthcare provider. The platform’s overall design and intake process are excellent.

Pros

• Video and phone options
• A comprehensive platform that’s designed to treat specific symptoms and concerns
• Multiple healthcare providers to choose from
• Next-day or same-day appointment availability
• Most major health insurance plans are accepted.

Cons

• Medication management is limited.
• Not a suitable option for severe mental health cases or disorders
• There are no options to message your healthcare provider between appointments.
• The out-of-pocket costs are expensive.

Amwell

Amwell is a telehealth platform that provides online healthcare services through live video. The company accepts many major health insurance plans, and the platform is very easy and intuitive to use. There are many services available on the platform, including women’s health services, cognitive behavioral therapy, chronic care management, and nutrition counseling. You can also usually find a healthcare provider in as little as 24 hours.

Pros

• Menopause, prenatal, and postpartum counseling is available on the platform.
• You can pay for each appointment if needed.
• Therapy is available for children who are at least 10 years of age.
• You can choose your healthcare provider from a directory of providers.
• Psychiatric medications and therapy are available.

Cons

• There’s no discount or bundle for participating in more than 1 service on the platform.
• The company doesn’t automatically match a healthcare provider for you.
• You can’t text your healthcare providers.
• Psychiatry is only available for people who are at least 18 years of age.

Doctor on Demand

Doctor on Demand is a telehealth company that offers primary care doctors, urgent care providers, psychiatrists, and therapists, all in one app or platform. You can also find healthcare providers with either next-day or same-day availability. The platform is available in all 50 states, and it accepts many of the major health insurance plans. Unfortunately, Doctor on Demand has high costs, with medical visits starting at $99 without health insurance. There’s also no way to message your healthcare provider between appointments.

Pros

• The company accepts some commercial health insurance plans.
• The Doctor on Demand mobile app is simple and intuitive to use.
• There are usually next-day appointments available.
• The company is available in all 50 states.

Cons

• There is a strict time limit for therapy sessions.
• The customer service experience is poor.
• Expensive, particularly for ongoing medical or mental health care
• No option to message your healthcare provider between sessions

Virtuwell

Virtuwell is a telehealth platform that pairs you with licensed and board-certified healthcare providers. These providers offer diagnosis and treatment for common illnesses and medical conditions, including acne, pink eye, sinus infections, and bladder infections. Providers include nurse practitioners, and they ask patients what they would ask in an in-person office, review all of the patient’s symptoms, and come up with a treatment plan. These treatment plans include over-the-counter (OTC) and prescription medications, including antifungals, antivirals, antibiotics, emergency contraception, and birth control.

Pros

• With health insurance, you can pay as little as $0 for a visit.
• The process is fast and efficient.
• You can usually complete the questions and receive a treatment plan on the same day.

Cons

• Longer wait times
• Not able to treat certain medical conditions, including allergic reactions, severe bleeding, and severe abdominal pain
• No video calls with healthcare providers available

HealthTap

HealthTap is a telehealth platform that connects you with licensed healthcare providers for urgent care and primary care visits. The platform’s services include diagnosis, treatment, and prescriptions for common illnesses and medical conditions, including fever, headaches, infections, and allergies. You also get access to follow-up texting with your provider between visits. The platform isn’t meant for specialty care or medical emergencies.

Pros

• The customer service is typically very supportive.
• The app and platform are simple to navigate, and it’s easy to post questions to the providers.
• The prices are usually reasonable.
• The information provided during visits is personalized to the person’s life and goals.

Cons

• The platform isn’t meant to be used for specialty care or medical emergencies.
• It’s difficult to find specific pricing information for the platform.
• It can be difficult to cancel a subscription.
• There are sometimes long wait times for providers.

GoodRx Care

GoodRx Care is an affordable telehealth platform that provides inexpensive healthcare treatments and prescriptions. GoodRx Care offers online appointments for primary care, chronic conditions, common illnesses, mental health, sexual health, and more. The platform works particularly well for urgent care issues. The platform doesn’t currently accept health insurance. Visits start at $19 for Gold members or $49 for non-members. 

Pros

• Cheaper than other telehealth platforms
• Can sometimes be less expensive than health insurance copays
• Excellent option if you don’t have health insurance or if your health insurance doesn’t cover your medication prescription
• Fast, easy, and high-quality healthcare option
• Medical assistance available 7 days per week

Cons

• Doesn’t accept health insurance
• Some people have trouble finding prescriptions

Amazon One Medical

Amazon One Medical is a healthcare platform that provides both pay-per-visit and membership options. With an Amazon One Medical membership, you get access to in-person appointments, 24/7 virtual care, and more. The pay-per visit option provides 1-time virtual healthcare visits for common illnesses and healthcare conditions. The platform offers healthcare options for children, families, and adults of all ages.

Pros

• There is financial assistance available for people who need it.
• There are discounts available for Amazon Prime members.
• There are 3 different care groups for children, adults under age 65, and adults 65 and older.
• You get the option of either virtual or in-person appointments. 
• You can search the platform by provider, Medicare, and insurance.
• There is 24/7 virtual health care included in your membership.
• There are both pay-per-visit and membership options available.

Cons

• You can’t filter through the providers by specialty.
• The pay-per-visit care options aren’t as comprehensive as the membership care options.
• Some scheduled virtual healthcare visits might require you to pay a copay.
• There is an extra cost associated with in-person visits.
• The in-person clinics aren’t available nationwide.

How to choose a Sesame Care alternative that suits me

Here are some of the key decision factors you need to consider when choosing a Sesame Care alternative that suits you best:

• Type of care needed. Think about the kind of healthcare you need. Select the platform that offers the service you need.
• Payment preference. Do you have health insurance that you want to use? Many telehealth platforms accept most major health insurance plans, but some telehealth platforms don’t accept any health insurance. If you don’t have health insurance, some telehealth platforms offer membership subscriptions or pay-per-visit cash options.
• Need for controlled-substance prescriptions. If you need a controlled-substance prescription, you need to consider that factor when choosing a telehealth platform. Most telehealth platforms don’t have online providers who can prescribe controlled substances, but there are a couple of platforms that do. Check out Klarity Health or Amazon One Medical if you need a controlled-substance prescription.
• Ongoing care importance. Do you need long-term ongoing care, or are you just looking for a telehealth platform for a one-off visit? Whether you simply need urgent care or ongoing care for a chronic medical condition, this is something to keep in mind when choosing a platform.
• In-person vs. fully virtual options. Do you want a telehealth platform that also offers in-person providers? Or do you just want a platform that provides fully virtual options? Some platforms have in-person licensed healthcare providers, while others are fully virtual.

Key takeaways

Here are a couple of the key takeaways:

• Sesame Care is a telehealth marketplace that connects you with licensed specialists, nurse practitioners, and primary care doctors for both telehealth care and in-person care.
• Some of the key decision factors you need to consider when choosing a Sesame Care alternative that suits you best include the type of care needed, payment preferences, the need for controlled-substance prescriptions, the importance of ongoing care, and in-person vs. fully virtual options.

Looking for a better alternative to Sesame Care?

Are you looking for a better alternative to Sesame Care? With Klarity Health, getting a telehealth appointment with a licensed healthcare provider is fast, simple, and convenient. You can simply connect with a provider from your own home and receive quality medical care in as little as 24 hours. The Klarity Health platform connects you with board-certified healthcare providers who follow clinical guidelines.

Get affordable, personalized telehealth care today

Klarity connects you with licensed providers, and some visits may be covered by insurance—cost varies by plan.

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