On February 5th, 2019, we set out to build something that had never been built before: a real, competitive, shoppable marketplace - for health care.
Our team at Sesame (along with millions of Americans) recognized that the exorbitant third-party fees, opaque billing practices, and utter lack of transparency within the U.S. healthcare system didn’t have much in common with our favorite shopping experiences, such as:
- A huge selection of quality products and services to choose from
- Clear, easy-to-compare prices
- Transparent reviews from consumers just like you
- A breezy, simple checkout process
- Same-day or next-day arrival for your purchase
So we set out to rebuild the system from scratch.
What We’ve Accomplished (So Far)
Today, the Sesame marketplace is a thriving platform that features thousands of top-notch doctors and specialists, 120+ types of care across 45+ specialties in all 50 states, same-day appointments and more – all at competitive, upfront, direct-pay prices. Here are the top 5 ways we’ve redefined healthcare.
1. We built the first-ever health care marketplace.
Competition within marketplaces drives quality up - and costs down. But before Sesame, there were no marketplaces when it came to health and well-being. As a result, American healthcare offered little incentive to drive the quality of your care up and the cost of your care down, and patient outcomes and satisfaction aren’t the main priority.
That’s why we built Sesame: providers list their prices and patients can choose a service based on price, reviews and more. The competition generated from this means that patients can access the best quality care at the best price. It’s a win-win, literally.
2. We cut out the middlemen.
When we built Sesame, we stripped away all of the things that needlessly complicate healthcare. That means no third-party fees, no insurance, no skyrocketing deductibles and no lengthy wait times.
Instead, we replaced middlemen with a system where patients pay far less for the same doctors who would treat them through insurance plans. With Sesame, it’s just you and your doctor. No paperwork to process, no claims to submit, no marking up the price of care, and no sending you bills that say: “This is not a bill.”
For those with high-deductible health plans or no insurance at all, healthcare is often expensive or out of reach entirely. Sesame’s direct-pay model ensures that everyone has access to care without the stress of meeting high deductibles or paying out-of-pocket for expensive premiums.
3. We offer care everywhere, all the time.
On vacation or traveling for work? No need to navigate unfamiliar insurance networks. Instead, you can skip the out-of-network charges by opening Sesame and choosing a provider that you can pay directly for incredible care at incredibly low prices.
Relocating? Moving to a new area is challenging enough without the added task of finding new healthcare providers. Sesame makes this transition a breeze by giving you instant access to top-rated clinicians who are licensed in your state. This means less time waiting for referrals and more time getting settled into your new home.
No matter where you are in the U.S., Sesame provides easy‑to‑access non-emergency care in big cities and small towns, virtually and in‑person, even on nights and weekends — within hours.
4. We partnered with Costco to expand care access for millions.
All Costco Members receive Sesame’s best pricing on a range of health services across all 50 states, including $29 virtual primary care appointments, $72 health checks and $79 virtual therapy consults. Members can also take an extra 10% off of other Sesame services, including in-person appointments.
5. We never stop expanding our services.
Sesame goes well beyond urgent care needs. We offer half-priced quality care on dozens of specialty services, including primary care, radiology, mental health, dentistry, dermatology, cardiology and endocrinology - with more coming soon.
To sum it up for you: No long waits. No surprise bills. No insurance needed. It’s simple, high-quality and affordable (the way healthcare should be). Want to celebrate with us? Open Sesame and see what we’ve built for yourself. You’ll pay half to be whole.
