Private and third-party insurance#

How private, workplace, student, and third-party insurance plans interact with TeleTest consultations, lab testing, and prescriptions in Canada.

If you have private or workplace insurance, a student health plan, or a third-party plan such as Blue Cross, Sun Life, Manulife, GreenShield, or the Interim Federal Health Program (IFHP), this page explains how those plans usually interact with TeleTest. Coverage rules vary by plan, so the specifics on your card always win - use this page as a starting point for the conversation with your insurer.

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How TeleTest billing works#

TeleTest is a fee-for-service platform. You pay for the consultation at the time of booking, and we provide an itemized receipt that you can submit to any insurance plan that reimburses virtual-care services.

We do not direct-bill private or third-party insurance plans (including IFHP). You pay first and submit the receipt for reimbursement.

This applies whether you have a provincial health card, no provincial coverage, or coverage from a different country.

Consultation fees and reimbursement#

Some plans reimburse virtual-care consultations. Others reimburse them only when the provider is a specific type of clinician (for example, a registered nurse or a nurse practitioner), and others not at all.

To check, contact your plan and ask:

  • Does my plan reimburse virtual or messaging-based medical consultations?
  • Does it matter whether the provider is a physician or a nurse practitioner?
  • Is there a per-visit cap or an annual maximum?
  • Do I need pre-authorization?

Keep your receipt. The receipt includes the clinician's name and credentials, the date of service, and a description of the service.

Lab testing and your plan#

Most lab tests we arrange are covered under the patient's provincial health plan when they are ordered for a clinically indicated reason and you have valid provincial coverage. Provincial lab coverage is generally the same across the major providers (LifeLabs, Dynacare, Alpha Laboratories) - the labs bill the province directly, so you usually pay nothing at the lab.

For people without provincial health coverage, or for tests that the province does not cover (some specialty assays, repeat tests outside the recommended interval, etc.):

  • The lab will charge you directly. Pricing varies by lab and by test.
  • Some private and workplace plans reimburse lab fees - submit the lab receipt to your plan.
  • Some plans cover tests that the province does not (for example, certain vitamins, hormone panels, or specialty cardiovascular tests). Check with your plan.

Lab-visit reminders. When you go to the lab, ask the technician to confirm that only the TeleTest clinician is listed on the requisition (no copies to your family doctor unless you want them) and present only one requisition per visit. Some labs will reflexively add a copy-to address, which can cause results to be routed to the wrong clinician.

Prescription drug coverage#

When TeleTest issues a prescription, you take it to any pharmacy in your province. The pharmacy bills your drug plan the same way it would for any prescription, regardless of how the prescription was written (in person, virtually, or by TeleTest).

Drug plans vary:

  • Provincial drug plans. Most provinces have a public drug plan that covers specific groups - for example, the Ontario Drug Benefit (ODB) for people 65 and older, OHIP+ for people 24 and under in Ontario without private coverage, the Quebec public drug plan (RAMQ) which is mandatory for residents without private coverage, BC Fair PharmaCare with income-based coverage, the Alberta Adult Health Benefit, and others.
  • Workplace and private drug plans. Most workplace and private plans cover prescription drugs in part or in full, often with a co-pay or deductible.
  • No drug plan. You pay out of pocket at the pharmacy. Prices vary noticeably between pharmacies; for ongoing or higher-cost medications, it can be worth price-shopping at two or three pharmacies in your area.

The TeleTest prescription itself is not a separate cost - you pay the pharmacy whatever you would pay for any prescription.

Common questions#

Can I use TeleTest if I have UHIP, iMED, or another international-student plan?#

Yes. International students with a Canadian university health plan can use TeleTest. Most of these plans reimburse virtual consultations, but you should confirm with your specific plan. See our UHIP page for more detail.

Can I use TeleTest if I have Blue Cross?#

Yes. Blue Cross is a family of independent provincial and regional insurers. Most Blue Cross plans reimburse virtual-care consultations and prescription drugs in part or in full; some include coverage for specific lab tests beyond what the province pays for. Confirm the specifics with your plan administrator and keep your receipts.

Can I use TeleTest if I'm covered by IFHP (Interim Federal Health Program)?#

Yes, you can use TeleTest, but TeleTest does not direct-bill IFHP. You pay for the consultation up front and submit the receipt to IFHP for possible reimbursement. Whether the visit and any prescriptions are reimbursable depends on the type of IFHP coverage you have and on IFHP's current policies. Contact IFHP support to confirm before booking if reimbursement is important to you.

Will my lab tests be covered if I have UHIP or other private coverage?#

Most routine lab tests are covered under provincial health plans if you have valid provincial coverage. If you only have private or international coverage:

  • For testing that would normally be insured under a provincial plan, the lab often direct-bills the insurer (LifeLabs and Dynacare have direct-billing arrangements with several plans, including UHIP for many test types).
  • For specialty tests that are not insured under provincial plans (for example, vitamin D in many cases, some hormone panels), expect to pay out of pocket and submit the lab receipt to your plan.
What if my plan doesn't cover virtual consultations?#

You can still use TeleTest - the consultation fee is paid at booking. If your plan does not reimburse the consultation, the cost is out of pocket. Many people in this situation find the cost manageable because they avoid in-person visit time, parking, and time off work. Some find that even an unreimbursed consultation is cheaper than the equivalent walk-in visit if they don't have a family doctor.

Can I get a refund if I don't agree with the consultation outcome?#

Once a consultation is completed - including any case where a requisition or prescription has been issued, or where the clinician has reviewed your intake and decided not to issue one (a clinical decision is still a service) - the consultation fee is not refundable. We always explain the reasoning behind a clinician's decision and welcome follow-up questions through your TeleTest account.

Does TeleTest charge for follow-up messages?#

Follow-up messaging on the same consultation is included for routine clarifying questions about the plan or the results. A new consultation fee applies when the question is about a new clinical concern, a new prescription, or a separate visit cycle.

I have coordination of benefits (two plans). How does that work?#

When you have two plans (for example, your own plus a spouse's), you typically submit to your primary plan first and the secondary plan covers the remainder. The TeleTest receipt is one document that can be submitted to both plans. Your insurer can explain their specific process.

Where can I get a receipt?#

A consultation receipt is available in your TeleTest account immediately after the consultation. If you need a customized invoice (for example, with a specific name or employer reference for reimbursement), please contact us.

Will TeleTest fill out my insurance paperwork?#

We can complete a small number of standard reimbursement forms on request, generally as a separate service. We do not fill out long-term disability or income-replacement forms.

Request a TeleTest consultation#

Last reviewed: Spring 2026. Reviewed by Dr. Mohan Pandit, Chief Medical Officer at TeleTest. We review this page periodically as medical guidelines, lab practices, and provincial programs evolve. This page is for general information, not personal medical advice. If you've noticed information that may be out of date or have suggestions, please contact us - we appreciate the help keeping these resources accurate.

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