About Sesame

Sesame is the first-ever healthcare marketplace, connecting thousands of healthcare providers across all 50 states directly with American consumers who are seeking high-quality, convenient medical care at unbeatable cash prices - no long wait times, no hidden fees, and no insurance needed.

Find top doctors near you across 40+ specialties and pay them directly to save up to 60% on prescription refills, skin consults, imaging, dentistry, therapy, labs and more.

Sesame is the first direct-to-patient care marketplace that connects patients with real, quality doctors.
Sesame is made for everyone - regardless of your insurance status. On Sesame, you can find, book, and pay doctors directly at unbeatable cash prices. Many of our customers either do not have insurance coverage or use Sesame to save money by paying doctors directly.

Sesame makes it easier than ever to find and pay doctors online directly - allowing you to book an in-person or telehealth appointment in less than two minutes. To get care today, follow these easy steps:

  • Search for telehealth or in-person appointments by specialty, condition, or provider
  • Choose a provider at a price and time that work for you.
  • Pay for your appointment online, up front.
  • Before your appointment begins, complete a brief medical history form.
  • If you’re seeing a doctor online, click the link sent to your email to join a secure online telehealth appointment. If you’re seeing a doctor in person, go to their office at the time of your appointment.
  • If you are prescribed medication and choose medication delivery, it is usually delivered to your home within 2-3 business days. Otherwise, you can select a local pharmacy often with same-day pick-up. Providers on Sesame can prescribe anything deemed medically appropriate, except for the limited set of controlled substances (as defined under the Controlled Substances Act).

Providers on Sesame are incredibly affordable and often less expensive than your copay. The services listed are out-of-network with insurance companies for appointments, but depending on your coverage, your insurance may reimburse you for money spent on healthcare from a provider not normally covered in your insurance network. Sesame provides you with a bill to submit to your insurance for your appointments.

If you have medication prescribed to a local pharmacy, you can use your insurance to pay for medication, and you will only owe your copay or deductible costs for that medication.

We also accept HSA and FSA payments for appointments and medication.

All clinicians on Sesame (doctors, dentists, nurse practitioners, etc.) are independent medical professionals.

Sesame’s cancellation policy makes booking, canceling, and rescheduling easy. Sesame will honor a full refund for any of our appointments when canceled within the following time constraints:

  • Virtual appointments: cancel up to 3 hours before the scheduled appointment.
  • In-person appointments: cancel up to 24 hours before the scheduled appointment.
  • All other appointments (including labs, imaging, and appointments that do not have a specific day or time at purchase): cancel up to 10 days after the purchase date once Sesame confirms with the provider that the appointment did not take place.
  • Memberships: You may cancel your subscription to Membership Services at any time up to forty-eight (48) hours before the applicable renewal processing date of your subscription, by emailing support@sesamecare.com directly requesting a cancellation, or by calling +1 (877) 947-6411 to cancel. If you cancel the Membership Services and your subscription term has not expired, you may continue to use the Membership Services until the end of your then-current subscription monthly or annual term and your subscription will not be renewed after your then-current term expires. However, you won't be eligible for a prorated refund of any portion of the recurring subscription fee paid for the then-current recurring subscription term.

We are unable to offer refunds for the following:

  • No-shows.
  • Requests within 24 hours of your appointment time for in-person appointments.
  • Requests within 3 hours of your appointment time for virtual appointments.
  • Requests to prescribe a particular medication or complete particular paperwork that is not accepted.
  • Surgical procedures with confirmed scheduling.
  • A lab must be completed within 7 days of purchase. Sesame cannot issue a refund after the 7-day window.
  • Any refund request more than 10 days after the scheduled visit.
Yes, Sesame is open to everyone, regardless of insurance coverage. That means people with insurance, without insurance and anything in-between can use Sesame.

Sesame uses Stripe, the most trusted, secure third-party payment platform in the world. Stripe is used by large technology platforms like Lyft, Etsy, and Open Table.

Stripe keeps your payment information for all future purchases on their secure servers and no one else receives access to your payment information.

Sesame Plus members can cancel their membership at any time by contacting our Customer Support. Email us at support@sesamecare.com or call us at (877) 947-6411. Once you cancel, you will no longer be billed for future periods. Partial refunds are not available.

About providers on Sesame

Sesame makes it easier and more affordable than ever for patients to find trusted specialists across 40+ specialties for online appointments or in-person visits in select markets. Specialties listed on Sesame include primary care, radiology, mental health, dentistry, dermatology, cardiology, endocrinology and more.
Clinicians listed on Sesame are independent clinicians who provide care directly to patients, or in some cases may be contracted with Sesame affiliated medical groups. Every clinician publicly listed on Sesame shares their active licensure, years of practice, education, training, and specializations as a condition for listing on the platform. Patients can fully evaluate their options to help ensure the provider is a good fit for them. However, the inclusion of any provider on the Services page shall not be considered as an endorsement of such health care provider by Sesame. You should conduct your own due diligence concerning the qualifications of a health care provider before paying for or receiving care. Clinicians listed do not work for Sesame, and Sesame does not directly supervise their care.
You can read more about our medical advisors on our team page.
No. If you are experiencing an emergency please call 911 or go to your nearest emergency room.
Any service listed on Sesame can be treated by doctors on the platform. Any specific exclusions to an appointment can be found in the service description. Telehealth appointments will not result in a prescription for controlled substances. If you are looking for a prescription for controlled substances, you should find a local clinician with whom you can establish an in-person relationship.
Yes, you can find all imaging services here

About telehealth appointments

Telehealth appointments also called telemedicine are medical visits that take place over face-to-face real-time video with fully licensed medical professionals including doctors or nurse practitioners.

Telehealth appointments are medical visits that allow you to speak to a doctor or health care provider online or through a phone call. They allow you to access quality care right from home, often at a better price. Doctors on Sesame provide high-quality care over video, including screening for COVID-19, diagnosing your eczema, treating erectile dysfunction, crafting a treatment plan to fight depression, and so much more. To get the most out of your visit, make sure you are in a well-lit space with a solid wifi connection.

After you book a video appointment, you will receive both an initial confirmation and a reminder via email and text.

There are three ways in which a video visit can be accessed:

  • Select "Join virtual appointment" from the booking confirmation email.
  • If you have an existing account or created one at purchase, log in at sesamecare.com, navigate to 'My appointments,' and select "Join virtual appointment."
  • Click the link in the text message sent to you 15 minutes prior to your scheduled appointment time.

We suggest using Google Chrome, Firefox, or Safari to connect to your visit.

Your booking confirmation will include a link to the video appointment. If you have not received a booking confirmation email, please contact Sesame Customer Support at +1 (877) 947-6411 or support@sesamecare.com.
If your provider has not joined the visit within 20 minutes of your appointment time, please contact Sesame Customer Support at +1 (877) 947-6411 or support@sesamecare.com.
If you do not have access to a camera, please contact Sesame Customer Support at +1 (877) 947-6411 or support@sesamecare.com. While many visits can be conducted via phone, it cannot be guaranteed with purchase.
The service name and details will clarify if the appointment you’re booking is via video.
National lab chains will still accept standard lab orders via fax or online portal. Please confirm with the lab regarding scheduling for in-person collection. COVID-19 lab orders are generally not being collected at Quest and LabCorp locations.

Yes, physicians on Sesame can prescribe a wide range of medications, which can be useful for infections, allergies, and other acute ailments. Please note that they will not prescribe certain drugs, such as narcotics or medications that have been designated controlled substances through telehealth.

Otherwise, many of the prescriptions available in an office setting or urgent care can be prescribed if your clinician deems it appropriate.

Providers are able to issue notes, referrals, lab orders, or other paperwork when deemed appropriate. Providers are not able to assist with worker's compensation, FMLA, disability, or insurance paperwork. In-person care is sometimes required to obtain paperwork from a provider.

Inclusions and exclusions can be viewed prior to booking in the service details.

Work note or other paperwork requests must be shared before or at the time of service. Sesame is unable to facilitate paperwork requests after completion of the visit.

Sesame is unable to provide paperwork specific to requirements for filing insurance claims.

Sesame providers are unable to prescribe controlled substances, including narcotics, through virtual visits. These prescriptions may be prescribed in an office setting and require in person care, if deemed clinically appropriate.
After booking your telehealth appointment on Sesame, you will receive a link to test the phone, tablet, or computer where you will speak with your provider. Sesame will send you a unique and secure webpage for you to access your telehealth appointment directly from your web browser. In the rare case that you run into any technical issues, our friendly support team is available to walk you through any challenges.

About cost, pricing, and offerings

On Sesame you can pay using VISA, MasterCard, American Express, and Discover. You cannot pay by check, money orders, or cash.

If you have a health savings account (HSA) or flexible spending account (FSA), these accounts often include debit cards you can use for purchases. These cards can also be used on Sesame.

All appointments booked on Sesame must be paid for online.
Prices are set individually by each provider.
No, you do not need to be a member to take advantage of Sesame’s unbeatable prices. Services are priced individually and available to everyone at affordable direct-pay prices. However, if you want to save up to 25% on all services and get the most out of Sesame, you can join our monthly membership Sesame Plus. Learn more about Sesame memberships here.

Sesame services are paid directly, separate from health insurance.

If your insurance includes a health savings account (HSA) or flexible spending account (FSA), you can use your funds from these accounts to pay for care on Sesame. Some of these plans include a debit card you can use to pay upfront, and others require you to submit your receipt after your purchase. Your booking confirmation will serve as your receipt. Sesame does not provide any additional paperwork.

Providers are unable to assist with insurance claims, including prescriptions.

We get it - stuff happens. That’s why we make it easy to cancel or reschedule your appointment if something comes up. With Sesame, you can cancel up to 3 hours before any virtual appointment and 24 hours before any in-person appointments — for free (except for surgical procedures that require advance scheduling). Plus, if the provider is unable to see you for any reason, we’ll refund your payment in full. We are unable to offer refunds for the following:

  • No-shows.
  • Requests within 24 hours of your appointment time for in-person appointments.
  • Requests within 3 hours of your appointment time for virtual appointments.
  • Requests to prescribe a particular medication or complete particular paperwork that is not accepted.
  • Surgical procedures with confirmed scheduling.
  • A lab must be completed within 7 days of purchase. Sesame cannot issue a refund after the 7-day window.
  • Any refund request more than 10 days after the scheduled visit.

While Sesame has a strict 24-hour cancellation policy, if you make a same-day appointment by mistake and need to cancel, Sesame will refund you if you cancel within one hour of completing the purchase. Email us at support@sesamecare.com or call us at 1 (877) 947-6411 between 9 AM and 7 PM Eastern, Monday through Friday and 9 AM . We'll resolve your questions as quickly as we can.

Reschedules must occur within 24 hours of the appointment time.
Yes, you can book a video or in-person prescription refill appointment in which a provider will determine the clinical appropriateness and length of refill with each prescription. Sesame does not guarantee prescription orders or refills. here.
Yes, your doctor can send the prescription to the pharmacy of your choice.
Unless stated otherwise in your appointment, if you need a follow-up appointment, you will need to book and pay for that separately.
If your insurance includes a health savings account (HSA) or flexible spending account (FSA), you can use your funds from these accounts to pay for care on Sesame. Some of these plans include a debit card you can use to pay upfront, and others require you to submit your receipt after your purchase.

About insurance

Yes. Sesame is complementary to health insurance, helping you find affordable prices and save money on care for when your plan falls short. Even when you have health insurance, high deductibles and gaps in coverage can mean your plan falls short. If you have insurance, Sesame can help you find great care for less than your deductible and see top-notch doctors without the hassle. Insurance companies make you jump through hoops just to take good care of yourself. With Sesame, you can book whatever you need with our simple online tools.

Please note: Sesame is unable to provide paperwork outside of the booking confirmation to meet requirements for insurance claims.

Yes! Sesame is available to all patients regardless of insurance status. Simply browse Sesame providers, select a price and an appointment time slot that works for you, and get the care you need without hidden fees or surprise bills.

If medication is prescribed during your appointment, you will also receive a prescription discount card that you can show to your pharmacist when you pick up your medication for even more savings.

Sesame is complementary to health insurance, helping you find affordable prices and save money on care for when your plan falls short.

Sesame works directly with doctors to determine the prices for their services while cutting out the middleman of insurance plans. This can lead to prices 60% less than comparable services on an insurance network.

No, if you have insurance, you should not cancel it to use Sesame. Sesame is complementary to health insurance, helping you find affordable prices and save money on care for when your plan falls short.
No, you cannot apply your co-pay to the cost of your appointment.
Sesame providers are unable to complete prior authorizations or provide specific paperwork related to insurance claims or prior-authorizations, including for prescriptions.

About provider reviews

Yes, we moderate reviews to ensure they are informational, helpful, and trustworthy, while not sharing any Protected Health Information about a patient.
Yes, all provider reviews are verified to guarantee that reviews are only left by real patients. All reviews on Sesame are directly from patients who have already had an appointment with a provider.
After your appointment, you will receive an email from us asking for feedback. Follow the link in the email to review your provider. After you submit your feedback, our team will review it to ensure no personal information is shared. Approved reviews are published in a few days.

We make an effort to publish all provider reviews. However, if your review includes any of the following information, we may choose to withhold the review:

  1. Personal Information: Reviews with personally identifiable information will not be shared. All Protected Health Information (PHI) will be removed before posting the review.
  2. Profanity: Reviews with offensive content or profanity will not be posted.
  3. Accuracy of diagnosis/ treatment plan: While we encourage you to describe your experience with the provider, we don’t publish claims about the accuracy of a provider’s treatment or diagnosis.
We have a team that moderates all reviews to ensure your privacy is protected and guarantee that all reviews are helpful and accurate reflections of our providers. That way, other patients can confidently select a provider that will best match their needs. This process can take a few days. We appreciate your patience.
No. We make an effort to publish all provider reviews - positive or negative - provided that they meet Sesame's standards. Reviews allow patients to confidently select a provider who best matches their needs, and we believe that authentic customer feedback empowers people to make informed decisions about their care.
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