Costco members can access doctor visits for this deeply discounted price
The big box retailer is expanding its medical care services, and insurance-strapped shoppers stand to benefit.
Being a Costco member has its advantages.
Discounted travel package costs, eye care, and eyeglasses discounts, price cuts on gift cards, and auto insurance and gasoline discounts at the pump are just a few benefits of joining up with Costco.
Related: Is a Costco Membership Worth It Just for Gas in 2022?
Now you can add $29 primary health care visits to the list.
The Issaquah, Wash.-based retailer is partnering up with Sesame, an online consumer healthcare marketplace to offer price discounts on services like primary health care, mental health visits, and pharmacy visits, among other healthcare services, according to Bloomberg.
“Quality, great value, and low price are what the Costco brand is known for,” said Sesame’s co-founder and CEO David Goldman. “When it comes to health care, Sesame also delivers high quality and great value – and a low price that will be appreciated by Costco Members when it comes to their own care.”
New York City-based Sesame has built healthcare service connections in all 50 U.S. states and says it has the bandwidth to now connect Costco customers to participating providers. The company specializes in offering health care services for consumers with either no health care insurance or high-deductible health care insurance.
Costco customers won’t be visiting health providers at actual Costco locations. Instead, they’ll connect directly with Sesame’s network of 3,500 clinicians for visits and calls.
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In doing so, the company brings these “best pricing” discounts to the big box table, Sesame reported.
- Virtual primary care for $29.
- Health check-ups (a standard lab panel, plus a virtual follow-up consultation with a provider), just $72.
- Virtual mental health therapy, just $79.
Plus, 10% off of all other Sesame services, including in-person appointments for Costco members.
Sesame does not accept health insurance and noted that’s a good thing for Costco customers.
“That makes it ideal for Costco Members that prefer to pay cash for their health care, whether it is because they are enrolled in high deductible insurance plans, are uninsured, or simply appreciate the price, quality, and convenience of Sesame,” the company said in a Sept. 25 statement.
Costco’s approximately 125 million members can expect the Sesame-related healthcare services to start immediately as the company looks to grab market share in the $4.3 trillion U.S. healthcare sector.
Costco stock stands at $557 on Sept. 25, up 22.05% on a year-to-date basis.
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