Everything you need to know for 2022

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) states that digital health technologies can reduce inefficiencies, improve access, and personalize medicine for individuals.

This article discusses what K Health is, who it is for, its pros and cons, and the costs involved. It also explores customer testimonials, compares K Health with competitors, and answers some of the most frequently asked questions about the company.

There is a range of pros and cons a person should take into account when considering using K Health and its services.

Research suggests that some further limitations of telehealth platforms include security breaches, regulatory barriers, and potential disruption to a person’s continuity of care. It is also impossible for a doctor to complete a full history and physical exam for users online.

K Health is a telemedicine platform. It offers affordable primary and urgent care and mental health and pediatrics services online. A person can access board certified doctors 24-7 through K Health and get prescriptions and refills on the go.

A person can also check their symptoms with the company’s symptom checker mobile app. This app uses AI and data from medical records and doctors to provide free recommendations and answers to questions about conditions.

The company is Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) compliant.

K Health is suitable for people who want to check their symptoms and get remote access to medical advice. It may also be suitable for people with a low income.

According to a 2016 medical expenditure survey, the average cost of a visit to the doctor’s office in the United States was $265. The authors write that, on average, the cost for visits to pediatricians was $169. K Health offers appointments starting from $35.

People who do not have health insurance can also use K Health. According to the United States Census Bureau, around 8.7{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809} of people in the U.S. did not have health insurance in 2020. Learn more about how to access healthcare without insurance.

However, people who need to speak with specialists, such as dermatologists or gynecologists, will not be able to do so with K Health.

Additionally, K Health states it does not treat children under 3 years of age. People with younger children may have to access services through another telehealth platform or their usual healthcare professional.

K Health does not cover lab tests, hospital visits, or the cost of medication. Additionally, some services are not available in Alaska or Hawaii. A person should check on the K Health website to see if the service they require is available in their location.

K Health is not a suitable platform for people experiencing a medical emergency. In this case, a person should call 911 or go to an emergency room.

To sign up for K Health, individuals will need to go to the company’s website to create an account and provide billing information.

A person will need a smartphone to access K Health. The app is available for iOS and Android devices.

Once downloaded, the app has a menu and various options for nonmembers and members. These include:

• getting urgent care
• managing chronic conditions
• getting mental health treatment
• getting annual checkups
• refilling prescriptions
• accessing pediatric care

A person will be able to follow instructions for each of the services included in the menu.

To get care from the right person, users will answer questions asked by the app’s AI, which will suggest who would be most suitable to speak with.

Symptom checker

If a person wants to check their symptoms before talking with a healthcare professional, they can use the K Health symptom checker. They will need to explain their symptoms and answer basic questions provided by the app to narrow down what may be causing their symptoms. The AI will check their answers against a database to make predictions about a person’s condition.

This can help a person decide whether to request a consultation with a doctor through K Health or in person, which over-the-counter medication may help, and whether a person should seek pediatric advice for a child. K Health states that the symptom checker is 85{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809} accurate.

If a person does want to speak with a doctor, they can confirm their booking and payment through the app.

Doctor consultations

Once the individual connects to a doctor, they can get advice on long-term treatment plans, such as suggestions on changes in diet or exercise or mental health follow-ups.

Moreover, adults can get a note stating when they spoke with a doctor and a few general details about their treatment plan. They can also get sick notes for children.

Prescriptions

A person can manage their prescriptions through the K Health app, choosing whether they want to receive them at home or at their local pharmacy. A person will have to cover the cost of medication themselves.

It is important to note that online doctors cannot prescribe controlled substances.

Learn more about how K Health works here.

K Health offers four program types:

Urgent care

According to the website, people who need urgent care can get advice and treatment for hundreds of conditions, including:

A person can get a single urgent care consultation for $35 or unlimited appointments with the $49 monthly membership.

Primary care

K Health states it provides comprehensive primary healthcare to manage existing conditions and prevent future ones. This is only available to members.

Like other K Health services, people can get access to a doctor 24-7 for consultations, medication refills, and more.

Conditions that K Health doctors can help treat or manage include:

K Health notes that chronic care is available for people aged 18–64 in 48 U.S. states. It is not available in Alaska and Hawaii.

Mental health

K Health states it provides a safe place for people to reach out for mental health help. During mental health appointments, a person will contact a doctor via text instead of a face-to-face consultation.

A person can take a free assessment online before signing up for K Health’s mental health service. This assessment will say whether K Health is suitable for a person’s needs based on the symptoms they report. If a person is experiencing severe symptoms of a mental health condition, the assessment will suggest they see a doctor in person to get the right care.

This service is only available to members.

Mental health conditions that K Health can help with include:

They can also prescribe a few medications, including:

The K Health mental health service is not available in Alaska or Hawaii.

Pediatrics

K Health treats children from 3–17 years old. A person can get treatment plans, prescriptions, and sick notes during pediatric consultations.

Treatments on the K Health pediatrics service include those for:

However, K Health notes that it does not treat conditions that require in-person tests or examinations. This includes ear infections, UTIs, strep throat, and sexually transmitted infections. Additionally, K Health does not treat COVID-19 in children.

Members can access the pediatric services for the $49 monthly fee. Nonmembers can get single-session doctor consultations for $35.

K Health prices are lower than the average cost of a visit to a doctor’s office. However, all costs are out of pocket.

A person can pay $35 for single appointments through some of K Health’s programs or pay a monthly $49 membership fee to access all of K Health’s services with unlimited appointments.

K Health does not cover the cost of lab tests, hospital visits, or medication. The cost of these will depend on what a person needs.

People do not need to have health insurance to use K Health. The brand states that consumers cannot use insurance to pay for some services, including mental health care.

For those who need help with ED, K Health can provide prescriptions for FDA-approved medication starting from $1 per dose.

Learn more about treatments for erectile dysfunction.

The company accepts the following payment methods:

A 2021 study found that while virtual urgent care can be very effective, ongoing monitoring and consistent quality assurance are critical for patient and individual safety.

The company has an A+ rating on Better Business Bureau (BBB) but is not accredited. There are 27 customer reviews at the time of publishing, with an average rating of 1.7 out of 5.

People have filed 16 complaints against K Health on BBB in the past 3 years. Complaints and negative reviews report that users could not get treatment and experienced billing issues. Users also claimed that doctors did not give out the prescriptions they needed.

On the company’s unclaimed Trustpilot profile, it has a 2.2 rating based on over 370 reviews. Most complaints mention long wait times, false advertising about quick prescriptions, and unprofessional doctors.

The table below compares K Health with its competitors.

Here are answers to some of the most common questions about K Health.

Is K Health a legitimate company?

K Health is a legitimate company and states that it complies with the laws and regulations concerning healthcare and health privacy.

However, the company has received a high number of negative reviews online that raise concerns about getting appropriate treatment and the professionalism of the company’s doctors.

What conditions does K Health treat?

The brand says it can help treat hundreds of conditions. This includes urgent care, pediatrics, and mental health conditions. Examples of conditions K Health treats are asthma, anxiety, depression, infections, and type 2 diabetes.

A person experiencing a medical emergency should not use a telehealth company like K Health. They should call 911 or go to an emergency room instead.

How long is the wait for a K Health appointment?

The company claims that users can access the K Health platform 24-7 and request to talk with any doctors who are available immediately. Some online reviews indicate people can sometimes wait a long time to speak with a doctor.

Does K Health prescribe anxiety medication?

Doctors on K Health can prescribe some medications to treat anxiety, such as buspirone, fluoxetine, escitalopram, and venlafaxine. However, K Health doctors cannot prescribe controlled substances such as Xanax or medication for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.

Does K Health give doctors’ notes?

Yes, doctors on K Health can provide sick notes for children and a doctor’s note for adults.

K Health is a telehealth platform that can provide urgent and primary care, mental health care, and pediatric care at affordable prices. Individuals can get access to a doctor at any time of day for a fixed fee per session or a monthly membership fee.

The company also provides an app with an AI symptom checker that people can use to better understand their symptoms, receive suggestions of possible causes, and see if they need treatment.

K Health does not have a positive reputation according to online reviews. Additionally, K Health is not suitable for people in a medical emergency or those who need care from specialist doctors, such as dermatologists.

It is important to note that people should not use telehealth services such as K Health instead of necessary in-person care, and the company cannot provide tests, physical exams, or surgery.