If the thought of sitting in a physician’s waiting room surrounded by other people who may have been exposed to COVID-19 is not something you want to even contemplate, you’re not alone. Many physicians are advising patients to stay at home to help slow the spread of COVID-19 and potentially save lives.

That said, sometimes you do need the advice and support of a qualified medical professional. A virtual telehealth visit may help you get the medical assistance you need, and you’ll be glad to know that a healthcare sharing program can help you cover the cost of telehealth services.

Telehealth: A Low-Cost, Low-Contact Option

While healthcare providers may not be encouraging in-person visits for non-emergency medical issues at this time, many of them are offering virtual appointments via telehealth platforms. Whether that means contacting a doctor over the phone or conducting an online video conference, you can get the medical advice you need while complying with social distancing requirements.

Man taking his own temperature while speaking with his doctor via his laptop.
Telehealth helps keep communication between health care providers and patients open.

Telehealth is a smart choice for families using health care sharing programs during the COVID-19 crisis. Here’s why.

Help Yourself and Help Others by Choosing Telehealth

Since health sharing program members all contribute financially to sharing plans, keeping medical costs down can help stretch every dollar. Telemedicine can provide a more affordable option to in-office visits for patients, health care providers, and health sharing organizations.

According to research, the average cost of a virtual doctor consultation can be as much as four times lower than the cost of an in-person visit. Those are savings that can be passed on to members of a health sharing plan. By keeping health care costs down, members are fulfilling their obligations to care for each other without an unnecessarily inflated financial burden.

Telehealth services, then, can be a win-win situation for a member of a health sharing program. First, telehealth services alleviate any fear you might have of contracting COVID-19 by close proximity to other people in a traditional medical setting. Second, access to the funds needed to deal with medical expenses incurred in telehealth visits can lighten the financial weight of paying for these services.

When choosing a healthcare share program, look for one that offers unlimited telemedicine services with board-certified health care providers. That way, you’ll get affordable, simple, fair, and friendly services while still remaining safe in this time of pandemic.

Exploring your options for healthcare share programs? We can help. Please visit us today to learn more.

US Healthshare