Sesame Health, also called Sesame Care, is an online marketplace that connects patients with doctors, nurse practitioners, and therapists. Patients book virtual or in-person visits and pay cash at rates the providers set. Sesame operates in all 50 US states and does not accept insurance.
Sesame suits uninsured patients and people with high-deductible plans. Visit prices start at $29 and vary by provider. Trustpilot reviewers give it a 4.6 score. Complaints cover support, glitches, and missed appointments. Weight loss and mental health plans start at $59 and $79 monthly. Sesame Plus costs $10.99 monthly. Providers set every single price.
Our team at Eat Proteins checked the research so you don’t have to. Below, you’ll learn how Sesame works, what it costs, and who needs to skip it. You’ll also see how it compares with BetterHelp and Brightside. Read on before you book a first visit. Expect clear numbers and sourced facts, not hype.
What Is Sesame Health?
Sesame Health is an online healthcare marketplace that lists doctors, specialists, and therapists with upfront cash prices. Patients choose a provider, book a slot, and pay directly. Healthline counts 383 services on the platform, from urgent care to dermatology. Sesame does not employ the clinicians itself. Visits can run virtual or in person as well.
In fact, Sesame does not employ the clinicians itself. Providers join the network and set their own rates. Why does that matter? Prices differ widely from one clinician to the next.
Sesame at a Glance:
- Rating: 3.5 out of 5 at Choosing Therapy
- Insurance accepted: no
- Payment: cash, HSA, FSA
- Coverage: all 50 US states, availability varies
The good news? Patients see each price on the provider profile before booking. Sesame also accepts HSA and FSA payments, which helps people with health savings accounts.
Who Is Sesame Health For?
Sesame Health fits uninsured people and patients on high-deductible plans best. Healthline names the cash-pay model, same-day appointments, and cheap generic prescriptions as the main draws for this group. Free delivery on some prescriptions adds to the appeal. Choosing Therapy agrees and rates the pricing reasonable for self-pay patients. Costs run low.
To be clear, patients with strong insurance coverage gain less. Their plan often covers broader care at a lower out-of-pocket cost. Bottom line: Sesame rewards people who pay for care themselves.
How Does Sesame Health Work?
Sesame Health works as a directory where patients filter providers, compare listed prices, and book visits directly. Filters cover price, gender, language, availability, and patient reviews. Switching to a new provider takes little effort. Each clinician sets a personal rate, so the platform itself never fixes one price. Patients see every price first.
Here’s the thing: the visit itself happens on video. A Choosing Therapy tester joined a psychiatry session from an iPhone without problems. The 45-minute slot ran about 35 minutes.
After the visit, prescribers route prescriptions to a local pharmacy. Patients also receive a prescription savings card. Sometimes that card beats a typical insurance co-pay.
How Do You Get Started With Sesame Health?
Getting started with Sesame Health takes five steps and only a few minutes. Healthline describes an account setup, a service search, a provider pick, a booking, and an upfront payment. The account asks for basic details like name, email, and location. Both the website and the mobile app handle the whole process. No insurance card is needed to sign up.
Steps:
- Create an account with your name, email, and location.
- Browse the available services.
- Compare provider profiles, credentials, and prices.
- Book a date and time for a virtual or in-person visit.
- Pay the listed price through the platform.
Does the process feel slow? Not really. A Choosing Therapy tester booked a next-day psychiatry slot quickly. Availability still depends on how many providers practice near you.
What Services Does Sesame Health Offer?
Sesame Health lists primary care, urgent care, mental health, dermatology, women’s health, and pediatrics. Healthline counts 383 services in total. Choosing Therapy adds weight loss and psychiatry, plus links to in-person care like dentist visits and MRIs. All in-person services are priced by appointment, just like virtual ones. Coverage varies by area.
Main Services:
- Urgent care and same-day doctor visits
- Psychiatry, therapy, and couples counseling
- Dermatology and Skincare Rx
- Women’s health, menopause, and PCOS programs
- Pediatrics and prescription refills
Prescriptions are part of the mix. Healthline reports generic drugs from $5 for a 30-day supply. Free delivery applies to some orders.
Sesame providers cannot prescribe controlled substances. Does that limit matter? Yes, for patients who need those medications.
Does Sesame Health Offer Weight Loss Care?
Yes. Sesame Health runs a weight loss program called Success by Sesame that starts at $59 per month. The price requires an annual subscription and excludes medication costs. The program includes unlimited messaging, comprehensive care, labs, and a choice of provider. Choosing Therapy added the program after its earlier review. Medication costs come on top.
The program adds unlimited messaging, labs, and a choice of provider. The program also gives access to Wegovy, Zepbound, and Ozempic. Insured patients may see partial or full medication coverage.
What Do Sesame Health Reviews Say?
Sesame Health reviews lean positive, with Trustpilot showing a 4.6 score across 4,543 reviews. The Better Business Bureau score is lower, at 3.89 out of 5 across 128 reviews. Reddit threads praise quick medication refills. Choosing Therapy gives its own expert rating of 3.5 out of 5 after hands-on testing. Few independent reviews exist beyond these sites.
Review Scores by Platform:
| Platform | Score | Reviews |
|---|---|---|
| Trustpilot | 4.6 out of 5 | 4,543 |
| Better Business Bureau | 3.89 out of 5 | 128 |
| Choosing Therapy (expert) | 3.5 out of 5 | Editor rating |
So what does that mean for you? Most patients report a smooth experience. The complaints cluster around individual providers and support, not the platform itself.
What Do Users Like About Sesame Health?
Users praise kind, attentive medical staff and fast, affordable access to care. Trustpilot’s AI summary of 1,142 recent reviews highlights easy prescriptions and professional guidance without insurance. Reviewers describe conversations as comfortable and supportive. Many call scheduling simple, and that ease repeats across the feedback. Staff earn praise.
Convenience gets repeated mentions. Why does that matter? Online access eased social anxiety for some patients, and others value urgent care anywhere. Healthline adds transparent pricing and immediate appointments.
What Are the Common Complaints About Sesame Health?
Complaints center on customer support, technical glitches, and missed appointments. Trustpilot reviewers describe unhelpful responses and dismissive phone agents when problems arose. A few also report frustrating technical glitches and communication hiccups during scheduled telehealth sessions. Choosing Therapy likewise lists a glitchy site among the cons.
The BBB lists providers who showed up late or not at all. Some patients disliked refund decisions. Others expected a prescription that the provider declined. Reddit mentions isolated wrong-medication reports.
How Much Does Sesame Health Cost?
Sesame Health costs vary by provider, with quoted visit prices starting at $29 and climbing past $350. Sesame says acute care starts at $29 and therapy at $79. Choosing Therapy found higher rates in its own area. Every clinician sets a personal rate, so the final bill depends on specialty, credentials, and location. Prices show on each provider profile.
Sample Sesame Prices:
| Service | Starting Price |
|---|---|
| Urgent care visit | $37 |
| Same-day doctor visit | $34 |
| Mental Health Rx | $79 per month |
| Skincare Rx | $59 per month |
| Weight loss program | $59 per month |
| Psychiatry consult (new patient) | $100 or more |
Here is what that actually means: location drives the price. A Choosing Therapy tester paid $352 for an initial psychiatry consult outside a big city. Therapy sessions near that tester ran about $104.
Healthline lists California starting prices. Same-day doctor visits begin at $34, urgent care at $37, and prescription refills at $37. Always check the profile price before you book.
Is Sesame Plus Worth It?
Yes, for frequent users. Sesame Plus costs $10.99 per month or $99 per year and trims the price of each visit. Members get $10 off telehealth appointments and $10 off in-person specialty visits. Exclusive extra discounts apply too. The plan is optional, and Healthline says members can cancel by emailing support. Cancel up to 48 hours before renewal.
The plan also includes one free annual lab test, a $65 value. A concierge service helps match you with a provider. Does the math work? The lab test returns $65 of the $99 fee, and four discounted visits cover the rest.
Is Sesame Health Legit?
Yes. Sesame Health is a legitimate marketplace with licensed clinicians and strong privacy scores. Choosing Therapy rated it 5 out of 5 for privacy and HIPAA compliance, provider credentials, and crisis management. The same review also scored geographic location and prescription options at 5 out of 5. Reliability and longevity earned a solid 4 out of 5.
Choosing Therapy Score Breakdown:
| Category | Score |
|---|---|
| Privacy and HIPAA | 5 out of 5 |
| Provider credentials | 5 out of 5 |
| Crisis management and safety | 5 out of 5 |
| Customer service | 3 out of 5 |
| Cost | 2 out of 5 |
| Insurance benefits | 1 out of 5 |
One tester’s psychiatrist held a full MD, which is not guaranteed on every online platform. Lab work went through Quest Diagnostics. Healthline reports encrypted communication for virtual consultations.
Still, the platform scored lower elsewhere. Provider matching earned 2 out of 5. Extra features and resources earned 1. Is it perfect? No, but the core care is sound.
Does Sesame Health Accept Insurance?
No. Sesame Health does not accept insurance and runs a direct cash-pay model. Patients pay at booking and see the cost clearly from the start. Healthline describes the model as direct-to-consumer. Patients with health savings accounts can still pay with HSA and FSA funds, which softens the sting for many people. Sesame lists no accepted insurance plans.
There is a workaround. Sesame provides a detailed invoice on request, and patients submit it to their insurer for possible reimbursement. Is it automatic? No. A self-service superbill tool is still in development.
How Does Sesame Health Compare to BetterHelp and Brightside?
Sesame Health differs from BetterHelp and Brightside because it is a marketplace of independent providers, not one therapy service. Healthline’s comparison shows Sesame prices vary by clinician. BetterHelp and Brightside bill set fees instead. Sesame also offers in-person visits, while both rivals stay virtual. Sesame also covers physical health too.
Sesame vs. Competitors:
| Feature | Sesame | BetterHelp | Brightside |
|---|---|---|---|
| Accepts insurance | No | No | Yes |
| Therapy cost | Varies by provider | $70-$100 per week | $249 per month |
| Prescription delivery | Yes | No | Yes |
| Session type | Virtual and in-person | Virtual | Virtual |
Now here is the thing: Brightside is the only one of the three that accepts insurance. BetterHelp costs $70 to $100 per week, billed monthly. Brightside costs $249 per month with psychiatry included.
Who Should Avoid Sesame Health?
People with solid insurance gain little from Sesame Health because an in-network plan costs less. Choosing Therapy advises insured patients to pick a platform that takes their coverage. Healthline agrees that comprehensive plans offer broader coverage. Patients who prefer in-network professionals gain little from the cash-pay model. Insurers cover more care.
Skip Sesame If You::
- Have comprehensive insurance that covers your care
- Want in-network providers only
- Need controlled substance prescriptions
- Prefer a single long-term therapist from day one
Pay attention to this: Healthline adds that patients wanting one long-term therapist may struggle. Sesame leans toward on-demand visits. Those needing controlled substances also need another route. In an emergency, call 911 or 988.
Is Sesame Health Worth It, According to Eat Proteins?
Yes, for the right patient. Our experts at Eat Proteins find Sesame Health delivers fair value to uninsured and high-deductible patients who compare prices first. Strong privacy scores and licensed clinicians back that up. The listed prices remove billing surprises, which matters more than any single discount. Savings depend on your location and provider.
The trade-offs are real. Costs swing by location, support can lag, and appointments sometimes slip. Is that a dealbreaker? For many patients, no, because the listed price removes billing surprises.
Where Can You Try Sesame Health?
Sesame Health is available through its website and mobile app in all 50 US states. Provider supply varies by location, so a quick search shows your real options and prices. Choosing Therapy notes that new providers keep joining the network. A fresh search can turn up better rates than last month. Same-day slots also appear on many provider calendars.
Short answer: look before you commit. Compare two or three profiles, check the credentials, and read recent reviews. Our team at Eat Proteins says the five minutes of research pays off. Ready to see what care costs near you? Start with a search today.