Frequently asked questions
Pre-insurance is a tech-enabled, future of work solution that attracts and retains savvy talent seeking affordable, accessible, and flexible health benefits.
Pre-insurance is a comprehensive virtual health and wellness platform that complements existing insurance plans.
Pre-insurance resolves more than 70% of patients diverse health needs without the insurance headache.
For any in-person care needs, employees and individuals can always rely on their existing insurance plan.
Pre-insurance eliminates all the greedy middlemen that are responsible for making healthcare so expensive.
America's broken insurance-based health system relies on the following entities to function... the problem is that these entities artificially raise health costs to earn higher profits at the expense of employers and patients nationwide.
1) Health insurance companies
They underwrite risk and set premiums.
• They add $3,000–$4,500/employee/year in profit margin (5–7%) + overhead (10–12%) on top of medical claims.
• They drive 6.5–11% annual premium hikes (Mercer 2025) through actuarial loading, marketing, and shareholder returns, inflating total employer-sponsored insurance (ESI) spend by 25–30% beyond pure care costs.
2) Third-Party Administrators
They process claims and manage plan operations.
• They charge $15–$25/claim + 17% of premiums.
• This adds $2,000–$3,000/year/employee in admin fees (Mercer 2025).
3) Pharmacy Benefit Managers
They negotiate drug prices but take rebates/spread pricing.
• This adds $1,200–$1,800/year/employee in hidden costs (KFF 2024).
4) Insurance Brokers and Consultants
They advise employers on plans, earning 3–6% commissions.
• This adds $200–$400/employee in hidden costs (SHRM 2025).
5) Utilization Review Firms
They pre-approve treatments, and often delay care.
• This adds $100–$300/claim in overhead (Peterson-KFF 2025).
6) Medical Billing Companies
They code and submit claims
• They upcode and add errors, which costs $50–$150/claim in disputes (AMA 2025).
7) Re-Insurance Carriers
They cover high-cost claims.
• This adds 5–10% per claim, which are baked into premiums via higher costs (Aon 2025).
8) Legal and Compliance Vendors
They handle ACA/ERISA filings.
• This adds $300–$600/employee/year in hidden costs (Mercer 2025).
9) Data Analytics Firms
They provide risk scoring.
•They charge $100–$200/employee for reports (McKinsey 2025).
With no third parties artificially inflating healthcare costs:
1) Our doctors make more money,
2) Our partners pay less, and
3) Our patients receive high quality care on their terms.
Normally, doctors and digital healthcare companies are forced to work in a "managed care" model (meaning insurance companies are involved). Managed care models take control out of the hands of doctors and puts it in the hands of third party middlemen that don't actually treat patients. These third parties add overhead and unnecessary expenses to patients' bills and pay doctors less.
By removing middlemen from the process, we're able to pass the savings along to our partners! Without greedy middlemen clogging up the healthcare system, our partners/patients pay less and our doctors are paid more!
Also, our doctors are able to have organic relationships with patients because they don't have to worry about restrictions placed on them by third parties
EqualityMD's pre-insurance virtual care solution delivers healthcare the way it should be: Patient-focussed, transparent, affordable, and accessible.
Membership to EqualityMD's pre-insurance healthcare solution for employers depends on two factors:
1) Your organization's size, and
2) Whether or not your company plans on:
a) Paying for your team's monthly memberships, or
b) Your organizations elects to offer our cost-saving virtual care platform as an
optional employee benefit.
We've found that companies and organizations that pay for their team's membership outright, instead of offering EqualityMD as an optional employee benefit:
1) Save the most money in healthcare administrative costs (payors, third parties, claim disputes, etc.), and
2) See the highest utilization of our platform for preventative and maintenance care, which creates a healthier, happier, and more productive workforce.
Because EqualityMD works outside of America's broken insurance-based healthcare system, our operations are:
1) Impervious to partisan politics, and
2) Immune from insurance companies' wildly volatile, price gouging health plans.
This enviable independence from the nation's broken health system means we can craft bespoke, cost-conscious partnerships with businesses, nonprofits, organizations, professional associations, universities, governmental agencies, and other entities of all sizes throughout all 50 states.
In other words, we'll meet you where you are based on your needs and your budget.
All memberships include:
• 36 virtual visits every year (12 primary care, 12 mental health, and 12 urgent care).
• AI coaches and nutritionists, a wealth of wellness resources, and anonymous group classes on topics ranging from work-related problems, parenting, and relationship issues to weight loss, financial stress, and mindfulness.
• An unbelievable FREE benefit that will save members lots of money at pharmacies nationwide!
No premiums. No deductibles. No copays. No co-insurance. No out-of-network penalties. No lost wages. No hidden fees. No extra costs. No headaches from dealing with profit-motivated insurance companies. No unjustly denied claims (21% of all claims are denied, some are automatically denied by AI).
If your company or organization doesn't currently offer health insurance benefits, we've got you covered!
You can enroll your workforce into our cost-saving, pre-insurance virtual health platform for a low monthly rate without the hassle of working with insurance companies.
Give the people that drive your organization's progress the power to reclaim ownership of their unique health and wellness journeys and the healthcare resources they need to live their best lives!
There are no commitments.
You can cancel your monthly subscriptions at any time.
Contact hello@equalitymd.com for more information.
Simple Answer: YES!
Save money and empower your employees to reclaim ownership of their unique health and wellness journeys by avoiding the insurance nightmare.
Many insurance companies include telehealth as a way to make their costly plans seem more accessible.
Unfortunately, most carriers continue to charge doctor copays in addition to insurance premiums, and their telehealth technology partners charge extra fees to patients to recoup their costs.
EqualityMD's "pre-insurance" virtual care platform is fully independent, ensuring your employees enjoy unfettered access to care without ever paying any out-of-pocket health costs.
We empower your employees to become the superheroes of their own healthcare stories by instilling a newfound sense of agency, dignity, and trust through our revolutionary pre-insurance solution!
Yes!
Our network of 25,000+ providers have received evidence-based, cultural competency training materials to ensure they know how to create safe digital spaces for patients from all walks of life across all 50 states.
At EqualityMD, your workforce can enjoy peace of mind knowing that whomever they pick to be their providers are ready to embrace their unique intersectional identities, meet them where they are, and deliver the inclusive care they deserve.
A mental health session is 50 minutes.
Other telehealth companies cut corners by offering 20, 30, or 40-minute sessions.
Not EqualityMD!
We want to help your team achieve their health and wellness goals, so we make sure they get a FULL 50-minute therapy session EVERY TIME they book an appointment.
A standard primary care visit can last anywhere from 10-20 minutes (depending on the patient's situation).
A standard urgent care visit can last anywhere from 5-15 minutes (depending on the patient's situation).
EqualityMD virtual visits are not intended for use in medical emergencies. If you are experiencing a medical emergency, please call 911 or other local emergency services and/or go to the emergency room of a nearby hospital or medical clinic.
EqualityMD Primary Care is commonly used to address the following issues:
Abdominal pain
Allergies
Anxiety (mild cases)
Arthritis
Asthma (stable/non-emergency)
Athlete’s foot
Back pain
Bee sting
Birth control pills
Bladder infections
Bronchitis
Cellulitis (skin infection)
Cold
Conjunctivitis
Cough
Cystitis
Diarrhea
Diabetes
Dry scalp
Dry skin (eczema)
Erectile dysfunction (mild cases)
Eye irritation
Fever
Genital lesions
Gout
Hay fever
Headache
Heartburn (Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease, "GERD")
Influenza
Lab interpretation
Lice
Menstrual symptoms
Nasal congestion
Nausea
Nosebleed
Painful urination
Pharyngitis
Pink eye
Poison oak/ivy
Preventative health lab test
Rash
Respiratory infection
Rolled ankle
Scabies
Sinusitis
Skin infection
Sports injuries
STD screening lab tests
Thyroid disease (hypothyroidism)
Travel medicine
Upper respiratory infection
Urinary tract infection
Vaginal itching
Yeast infections
Always call 911 or your local emergency service immediately if you think you have an emergency. For example, if you experience any of the following medical issues, go immediately to an emergency room:
Chest pain or pressure
Convulsion or seizure
Difficulty breathing
Mental health or substance abuse urgency
Moderate to severe burn
Pain medication overdose or reaction (narcotics)
Poisoning
Serious head, neck, or back injury
Serious limb impairment or broken bone
Significant, uncontrolled bleeding
Suicidal ideation
Unconsciousness
Any other critical or life-threatening situation
Our therapists and behavioral clinicians can help you people with mental health issues that span the gamut of the human condition, which include, but are not limited to:
• Anxiety
• Stress
• Intrusive thoughts and obsessions
• Depression
• Low self-esteem
• Work-related issues
• Family-related issues
• Relationship issues
• Issues pertaining to one's identity (e.g. - sexual orientation, racial minorities, military veterans, neurodiversity, immigrants, etc.)
• Trauma and difficult experiences
• Personal and professional coaching
Most EqualityMD patients report feeling better after just 3 visits with our providers.
When your employees find themselves in times of trouble, doubt, or stress, encourage them to lean on EqualityMD for the affirming support they deserve.
In case of an emergency, crisis, or suicidal thoughts, please reach out for immediate help:
• Call 988 for the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline (English & Spanish)
• Call 1-800-273-8255 for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline
• Call 911 for emergency situations
