E-Visits
E-Visits: Convenient Medical Advice through MyChart Messages
MyChart messaging can be a convenient way to get medical advice from your care team.
We're committed to providing our patients with access to care. One way we support this is through virtual options to connect with your care team, including E-Visits, which are now seamlessly integrated with MyChart secure messaging.
When you use MyChart messages to ask a medical question, you will see a pop-up notification that some messages may be billed to insurance.
Messaging your care team can be a convenient way to get medical advice. You can send a secure message to your care team through MyChart whenever you have time – day or night – and your care team will typically respond in one to two business days. It looks and feels very similar to texting on your smart phone, only it’s more secure. Depending on your needs and schedule, this can be a great alternative to an in-person, video or telephone visit.
Most messages are free. However, some concerns take more time and medical expertise to address. Your provider will determine whether a message exchange qualifies as an E-Visit and may be billed to your insurance. If so, we will handle the billing on your behalf. Only about 1-2% of portal messages qualify as billable E-Visits, and this will usually save you time and money compared to an in-person visit.
We are pleased to offer you this more convenient and intuitive E-Visit option as one more way to get timely, convenient access to high-quality medical advice.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why are E-Visits now part of MyChart messaging?
Many patients are already familiar with using MyChart messages to communicate with their care team. It looks and feels very similar to texting on your smart phone, only it’s more secure. Therefore, most patients find it more convenient and intuitive to use than the previous E-Visit questionnaire. Since only a small percent of medical questions require an E-Visit, it was difficult for patients to identify those scenarios on their own and know when to use the E-Visit option.
Now patients can simply start a dialogue with their provider and get back a timely response. In those rare cases where your provider needs to spend more than a few minutes of time and expertise to respond, we will process the E-Visit and handle the billing on your behalf. In a survey conducted by the University of California San Francisco health system, most patients stated that they were comfortable with their provider making this determination and they assumed providers were already being compensated for this service.
What counts as an E-Visit?
If your provider needs to make a clinical assessment or medical decision, order a test or medication, or review your medical history, and it takes more than 5 minutes of their time, the provider may bill the message exchange to your insurance as an E-Visit. This will usually save you time and money compared to an in-person visit.
Examples of messages that may be billed to insurance as E-Visits:
- A new issue or symptom (for an established patient) that requires medical assessment or referral
- Adjusting medications in response to your question or concern
- Chronic disease management, flare-up or change in a chronic condition
- Request to complete a form
What doesn't count as an E-Visit?
If your message does not require clinical evaluation or medical advice from a physician or advanced practice provider – or if your provider can answer it quickly and easily – it won't cost you anything.
Examples of messages that won't be billed to insurance:
- Non-clinical questions and questions that can be answered by other staff
- Request for a prescription refill
- Request to schedule an appointment
- Message thread where we recommend (or you choose) to schedule an in-person or video visit instead (you will only be billed for the in-person or video visit.)
- Follow-up care related to a recent visit (within 7 days) or surgery (within 90 days)
- Sending updates to your provider when no response is needed
- Message that takes only a few minutes to answer
- Messages to providers employed by MidMichigan Community Health Services*
*MidMichigan Community Health Services does not plan to participate in or bill for E-visits due to differences in the insurance guidelines for federally qualified health centers.
Does my insurance company cover billable MyChart messages (E-Visits)?
Insurance companies recognize the value of virtual care in ensuring patients get timely, convenient access to care. Most insurance plans now cover all of the following options:
- In-person visits
- Video visits
- Telephone visits
- E-Visits (medical advice through MyChart messages)
How much does an E-Visit cost?
An E-Visit often costs less than a video or in-person visit, especially when you factor in transportation or lost time from work. When we bill for an E-Visit, some patients won’t pay anything; others may owe a copay or deductible. Our standard charge for E-Visits currently ranges from $25-$90 depending on time and complexity, but your insurance may cover some or all of that cost. To learn what your own specific out of pocket cost might be for an E-visit, please contact your insurer. They may ask you for a CPT code. The applicable codes are:
- 99421 MyChart Message E-Visit 5-10 minutes
- 99422 MyChart Message E-Visit 11-20 minutes
- 99423 MyChart Message E-Visit >20 minutes
How do I message my provider to seek medical advice?
- Log in to MyChart in a web browser or open the MyChart app. (If you have more than one Epic account, select your organization.)
- Select "Menu."
- Click "View Your Care Team."
- Select the provider you want to message (you will only see providers with whom you are a currently established patient.)
- Click "Send Message."
- Follow the remaining prompts to send your question or message.
- Expect a response within 1-2 business days. You’ll find the reply in the message thread in your MyChart inbox.
If you don't already have a MyChart account, you can learn more about the benefits and how to activate your account at mymichigan.org/mychart.
