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Below are some ballpark figures for U.S. costs of care for ailments that could be managed via virtual visits — and how much you might save by opting for virtual care. These are averages and estimates only; actual costs vary widely by state, provider, insurance status, etc.
✅ Virtual Care
- For low-acuity conditions (minor infections, rashes, mild respiratory symptoms) via telehealth, one study found that the cost for a virtual visit was significantly lower than in-person settings. HSRD Research+1
- For example, one insurer’s data showed a virtual urgent-care visit averaged $141 less than an in-person urgent care clinic visit. Cigna Healthcare Newsroom
- Another estimate: In one study the total average spending per “episode” for virtual care was ~$79, compared to ~$146 for a physician office visit for the same low-acuity condition. HSRD Research
- So you might expect virtual visits to cost somewhere in the tens to low-hundreds of dollars for simple conditions (depending on service, insurance, etc).
🏥 Urgent care / in-person non-emergency care
- For uninsured patients: typical urgent care visit costs ~$150-$250 for basic visits. BetterCare+2ehealth+2
- Some sources put the average urgent care visit without insurance around ~$150-$280 in 2025. Venteur+1
- For insured patients, copays for urgent care often fall in the $20-$75 range (but the underlying full cost is higher). ehealth+1
- So for a condition that could be handled virtually, going in-person costs perhaps $150 to $300+ (or your copay + deductible for insured) instead of the much lower virtual cost.
🏨 Hospital Inpatient / Room visits
- For inpatient hospital stays, the cost per day is much higher. For example, in 2022 the national average cost for a hospital overnight/inpatient stay was about $3,025 per day. My Credit Summit+2North American Community Hub+2
- For complex hospitalizations (e.g., involving surgery, ICU) the total cost can run much higher. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
- Even for relatively simple inpatient cases, the cost per day is in the thousands of dollars.
🔍 Summary & Illustrative Comparison
- Virtual visit: potentially $50-$150 (or maybe more depending on service) for a simple condition.
- In-person urgent care: maybe $150-$300+ for the same kind of condition (depending on tests, treatments, uninsured vs insured).
- Hospital inpatient room/visit: easily $3,000+ per day (and more depending on complexity) if the same condition escalates or is mismanaged.
- Therefore: for ailments that are appropriate for virtual care (i.e., low risk, no major tests required, mild/straightforward), choosing virtual can produce substantial cost savings compared to in-person urgent care or definitely compared to a hospital stay.
⚠️ Important Caveats ⚠️
- “Appropriate for virtual care” is key: only certain conditions (minor illnesses, follow-ups, etc) are safe and suitable for remote care. Some conditions require physical exam, imaging, procedures, etc.
- The cost figures above are averages or estimates; local variation is large (state, hospital, insurance plan, whether there are tests/procedures).
- For insured patients, your out-of-pocket might be just a copay or coinsurance, but the total cost to the system is still larger.
- Virtual visits may have limitations (less ability to do physical exam/test, may require follow-up in person, etc).
- A hospital “room visit” may or may not be necessary — if you have a condition that can be fully resolved via virtual care, the hospital cost may never apply.
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