$1,000 for a Telehealth Appointment
I had a virtual visit with HelixVM that resulted in a $1,000 charge for what was a very brief and basic telehealth appointment. The visit consisted of completing an asynchronous questionnaire, after which I was prescribed cough medication. Several days later, I received an email notifying me of a $1,000 bill. My insurance processed the claim and covered approximately 80%, leaving me responsible for $197 which is an amount that is still completely disproportionate to the level of care provided. Despite multiple email requests to HelixVM’s Patient Servicing Team, I was never provided with an itemized bill or coded statement explaining how this charge was determined. Without CPT codes or a detailed breakdown, there is no transparency into what was billed or why the cost was so high. Patients typically choose telehealth services for their convenience and affordability, with most visits costing between $25-$75. Clear, itemized billing and upfront pricing should be standard practice. Based on this experience, I would caution others against using HelixVM and recommend seeking telehealth services through providers that offer transparent pricing and reasonable charges.