STAT+: Virtual care options flood the market as retailers take telehealth mainstream
Direct-to-consumer telehealth options are proliferating for low-complexity visit types, but there are concerns about the commoditization of patient care.
When patients go shopping today, they might find themselves checking out with more than the vitamins or bulk toilet paper on their list. Several retailers have recently launched telehealth programs that let patients pick their medical concern off a menu of options, from hair loss and erectile dysfunction to acne and ear infections. Then they pay cash — no insurance accepted — to have a text or video visit with a provider.
These new virtual care offerings follow efforts by retail giants like Walmart and CVS to build out their health care businesses with a mix of online and brick-and-mortar clinics, some of which accept insurance. But the relative simplicity of operating cash-pay-only, direct-to-consumer virtual care has made it far easier for consumer businesses to jump on the telehealth bandwagon. As more options enter the fray, patients get more choice — and potentially more confusion in an already disjointed health care system.
In late September, Costco announced a partnership with Sesame to offer virtual visits starting at $29 to its members. Later this month, Walgreens will launch its own DTC cash-pay operation, Walgreens Virtual Healthcare, in nine states. And last week, wellness company GNC announced an expansion of its new subscription health plans, which provide unlimited virtual visits for certain conditions.
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