MADISON (WKOW) — For UnityPoint Health patients, getting in touch with their doctor online will have a cost starting Feb. 14.
A spokesperson for the healthcare system confirmed to 27 News that UnityPoint Health may bill patients’ insurance providers for messages sent through the MyUnityPoint messaging system that require “a provider’s clinical time and medical expertise.”
The spokesperson said coverage for care through the portal varies by insurance policy. She said people with no insurance coverage or a high deductible will see costs ranging from $36 to $70.
According to UnityPoint Health’s website, the types of messages that may be billed to insurance include changes to a patient’s medication, new prescriptions, changes to or check-ups on a long-term condition and messages about new symptoms the patient has not discussed with their provider in the past seven days. Messages that “require extensive provider time to review a patient’s medical history” could also incur a fee.
The spokesperson said messages about scheduling an appointment, requesting a prescription refill, questions about an issue the patient saw their doctor for within the last seven days and messages giving a “quick update” about a patient’s health will not be billed to insurance.
The spokesperson said the number of messages sent through the messaging platform has more than doubled since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. She said this has required “significant additional time from our clinical teams.”
UnityPoint Health said this change will better help health care providers balance providing in-person care and responding to messages.
“What may feel like a simple question could require a provider to change a treatment plan, look at a patient’s medical history or do an in-depth review of records to provide the best possible medical advice,” the spokesperson said in a statement.
The healthcare system encourages patients to continue sending questions about non-urgent medical needs to their providers and care teams through the MyUnityPoint system.
The spokesperson said all patients who use MyUnityPoint received a message in the portal announcing this change. She said, going forward, a pop-up box will show up when patients go to send a message in the portal. Patients will have to acknowledge the new policy before they are able to send their message.
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