Editorial rating:
K Health is a telemedicine platform that offers urgent care, primary care, and mental health services. K Health provides care for anxiety and depression to adults ages 18-65 throughout the continental United States. Medication management costs $49 monthly plus an additional $12 monthly for prescription delivery. Currently, K Health does not accept insurance and they earned a 2.5 star rating overall during our independent review.
Rating of K Health’s Online Psychiatry
Emily Guarnotta is a PsyD. that specializes in perinatal and postpartum mood disorders, grief counseling for individuals who’ve suffered miscarriage, stillbirth, or infant loss, as well as infertility support and therapy for new parents and seasoned parents. Dr. Guarnotta has written for Choosing Therapy since 2020 and in the summer of 2022 began reviewing online therapy and psychiatry platforms. During her independent review, K Health earned 2.5 out of 5 stars overall, performing best in the categories of “Geographic Location”, “Online Psychiatry Cost”, and “User Experience”. However, K Health underperformed in the categories of “Psychiatric Appointment Features” and “Crisis Management” compared to its competitors.
Pros & Cons of K Health
K Health’s mental health services offer text-based appointments with a medical provider for anxiety and depression. You can be connected with a provider in less than an hour and have the choice to get medications delivered or pick-up through a local pharmacy. Unfortunately, K Health mental health is only available to adults, there are no face-to-face appointments, and health insurance is not accepted.
Popular Choices For Online Psychiatry
Talkiatry – Safe, virtual mental health care from doctors who take insurance. Most psychiatry visits cost patients $30 or less* Take a Short Assessment
Hims / Hers – Connect with a healthcare provider in 12 to 48 hours.** Free Assessment
*Includes copayment, deductible, coinsurance, and $0 Visits. Excludes no shows. **On average. Actual appointment times vary by state and individual patient.
How to Sign Up for K Health
To sign up for an account, please visit the K Health website. After you sign up, you can download the K Health app through the Apple App Store or Google Play Store.
What Is K Health?
K Health offers a range of healthcare services, including medication management for depression and anxiety. K Health provides text-based psychiatry to adults ages 18-65. When you sign up with K Health, you are matched with a provider and communicate via message. The cost of medication management with K Health is $49 monthly. Insurance is not accepted and they earned 2.5 stars overall during our review.
Treatment for anxiety and depression with K Health is all done via text message on the company’s website or through the app. When you sign up and pay for K Health, you are matched with a provider that is licensed in your state. According to the company, it typically takes less than an hour to get matched and providers are available 24/7. When I initially signed up with K Health, I was matched with a provider in only 10 minutes.
However, when I tried to use the service again, it took several hours to get connected with a provider. It seems that the length of time it takes depends on the availability of providers at that moment. Understandably, some times may be busier than others. K Health’s providers include board-certified physicians and nurse practitioners who are able to prescribe medication for anxiety and depression. Providers may, but do not necessarily, specialize in psychiatry.
K Health provides treatment for a range of anxiety and depressive disorders, including generalized anxiety, social anxiety, health anxiety, panic attacks, performance anxiety, major depressive disorder, seasonal depression, postpartum depression, and more. All correspondence with providers is done via secure messaging, which earned K Health 1 star in the “Psychiatric Appointment Features” category of our scoring criteria. When I signed up for the service, I spoke with a board-certified family medicine physician. They reviewed the results of my initial assessment and suggested medication and therapy.
K Health does not offer therapy, they referred me to a few other websites to consider. I was told that I would receive a reminder in a month to check in with a provider and get a refill of my medication. Because the service is first-come-first-serve, you will not necessarily speak to the same provider again for follow-up visits.
K Health providers can prescribe medications for depression and anxiety medication. According to the company, their providers choose the safest first-line treatments. Common medications prescribed by K Health providers include sertraline (Zoloft), fluoxetine (Prozac), escitalopram (Lexapro), and buspirone (Buspar). They do not prescribe controlled medications of any kind. You can choose to have your medication sent to your local pharmacy or shipped directly to you for an additional charge of $12 monthly.
Online Psychiatry and Medication Management Covered By Insurance
Talkiatry can match you with a real psychiatrist who takes your insurance and is seeing new patients. They’re in-network with major insurers and offer medication management. Get started with a short online assessment
Who Is K Health Right For?
K Health is best suited for people experiencing various types of depression or anxiety disorders, anyone seeking a quick and easy way to get prescription medication, and people without health insurance coverage. The speed and ease of access coupled with affordability make K Health a great choice for many.
People Experiencing Anxiety and Depression
K Health offers medication management for anxiety and depression. People experiencing a range of types of depression and anxiety, such as generalized anxiety, social anxiety, postpartum depression, and seasonal depression can all sign up with K Health.
Anyone Seeking a Quick and Easy way to get Prescription Medication
One of the unique features of K Health is that once you sign up, you can be connected with a provider in less than an hour. This allows you to get diagnosed and prescribed medication fast. You then have the option of choosing between having a prescription sent to your local pharmacy for you to pick up or getting your medication delivered to you for an additional $12 monthly. If you opt for local pick-up, you could have your medication within just a few hours of signing up with K Health.
People Without Health Insurance Coverage
K Health may be appealing to those without insurance. The cost of K Health’s medication management plan is $49 monthly and an additional $12 monthly for medication delivery. This is significantly less than seeing an in-person provider or using many other online psychiatry platforms, including Hims and Hers. Hims and Hers also offer text-based psychiatry, but the cost of this service is $85 monthly, nearly double that of K Health.
Who Might Want an Alternative to K Health?
K Health’s mental health plan only serves adults experiencing anxiety and depression. It does not offer mental health medications for children, teens, or older adults over 65 years old. The platform also does not prescribe controlled medications of any kind, so anyone seeking stimulants for ADHD or benzodiazepines for anxiety will require an alternative.
People Who Have Diagnoses Other Than Anxiety and Depression
K Health only treats anxiety and depression. If you are experiencing a different mental health condition, such as obsessive-compulsive disorder (ODC) or posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), then you should seek out an alternative platform, such as Cerebral, which provides treatment for a larger range of mental health conditions.
You can learn more about alternatives for other diagnoses in our hands-on review of Cerebral.
Children and Teens in Need of Mental Health Medication
K Health only offers psychiatry for adults ages 18 to 65. Children, teens, and older adults cannot participate in K Health’s mental health plan and would be better served by seeing an in-person provider or utilizing another online psychiatry platform that serves a larger age range, like Talkiatry.
To learn more about options for children and teens, take a look at our review of Talkiatry.
Anyone Seeking Controlled Medications
K Health does not prescribe controlled medications of any kind. If you are seeking prescriptions for stimulants, benzodiazepines, or any other controlled mental health medications, you will need to see an in-person provider. Most online psychiatry platforms also do not prescribe controlled medications, but Amwell is a platform that will coordinate with your primary care physician about prescribing controlled medications.
You can read our Amwell review to learn more about options for controlled medications.
Online Psychiatry and Medication Management Covered By Insurance
Talkiatry can match you with a real psychiatrist who takes your insurance and is seeing new patients. They’re in-network with major insurers and offer medication management. Get started with a short online assessment
K Health User Reviews
K Health has a 4.6-star rating from 26,000+ reviews in the Apple App Store and a 4.5-star rating from 21,400+ reviews in the Google Play Store. Many reviewers praised how fast and affordable K Health’s services were. The most common complaint was technical difficulties while using the app.
Time Saver
Many positive reviewers commented on how much time K Health saved when seeking treatment. Rather than having to schedule and wait for an appointment, you can simply sign on at any time and meet with a provider. Providers are available 24/7 and are first-come-first-serve. Depending on the time of day and availability of providers, it can take as little as an hour to get connected. When seeking traditional psychiatry, you typically have to wait days or even weeks to see a provider, so knowing that you can text a provider in just an hour is a unique service.
Money Saver
Reviewers were very satisfied with the price of K Health, which is significantly less than many other online healthcare platforms. This was especially appealing for people without insurance or who had high deductibles and copays. The mental health plan also includes access to urgent care for you and your children.
Glitches in the App
Some users noted glitches in the app. They reported that the app would freeze or the chat with the provider would abruptly close. Understandably, reviewers found this to be very frustrating. Personally, I did not encounter this when I used the app. K Health was also very proactive in responding to these negative reviews with apologies and requests to reach out to customer service for a resolution.
How Much Does K Health Cost?
K Health offers primary care, urgent care, and mental health treatment for a low monthly cost and they earned 5 stars in the “Online Psychiatry Cost” category of our scoring criteria. The mental health plan allows you to meet with a psychiatric provider online and get prescribed medication in as little as one hour. K Health does not accept insurance, so all costs are out-of-pocket.
Costs with K Health are:
- One-time Virtual Visit: $39 – you can meet with a medical provider for a one-time virtual visit to discuss a specific medical concern
- Primary Care Membership: $49 monthly – you will get unlimited text-based visits with primary or urgent care providers, remote annual wellness visits, management for chronic conditions, easy prescription management and renewals, and free urgent care for your children
- Mental Health Membership: $49 monthly – you will get access to all of the benefits of the primary care membership, as well as text-based visits with a psychiatric provider and ongoing check-ins for medication refills
- Medication Delivery: $12 monthly – Your medication will be delivered to your home
Does K Health Accept Insurance?
No, K Health does not accept insurance, which earned them 1 star in the “Insurance & Out of Network Benefits” category of our scoring criteria. According to the company, its membership fees are more affordable than using health insurance.
Out-of-Network Benefits
K Health does not assist with out-of-network reimbursement or provide a superbill. All costs associated with K Health must be paid out-of-pocket.
How Does K Health Work?
Getting prescribed medication with K Health is fast and easy. The entire process can take less than an hour. The first step is completing an online assessment through the K Health website or app. If you are eligible for K Health’s services, then you can sign up, get matched with a provider, and communicate via secure text message. If your provider prescribes you medication, you can choose between having it sent to you or picking it up from your local pharmacy.
- Complete the free online assessment
- Sign up for an account
- Complete your health profile
- Select whether you’d like to pick up your medication at your local pharmacy or have your medication delivered to you
- Pay the membership fees
- Get matched with a provider
- Text with your provider
- Get diagnosed and prescribed medication
- Have your medication shipped to you or pick it up at your local pharmacy
- Check-in with a provider each month for refills
K Health Membership: Detailed Review
K-Health is a subscription-based healthcare service. The mental health plan with K Health costs $49 a month. It includes text-based communication with a licensed provider and ongoing communication for refills. With this plan, you also get access to 24/7 text-based support for primary and urgent care needs, as well as pediatric care for your children. It’s important to note that online providers cannot treat all medical conditions. In some cases you may be referred to see an in-person provider if online care is not appropriate for your condition.
K Health’s mental health plan serves adults ages 18 to 65. Psychiatry is not available for children and teens, but children ages 3 to 17 can receive pediatric medical care through K Health. K Health’s providers include board-certified physicians and nurse practitioners. My assigned provider was a family medicine physician, not a psychiatrist. If you are looking for a psychiatric specialist (psychiatrist or psychiatric nurse practitioner), this may not be guaranteed with K Health.
K Health offers text-based psychiatry. Rather than attending a live session, you communicate with your provider via text on the company’s website or app. During your appointment, your provider will determine if medication is right for you. If they decide to prescribe you medication, you can either have the medication sent to your local pharmacy for pick up or mailed to you for an additional cost of $12 a month. Once you are prescribed medication, you will have to check in each month about how you are doing and refill your medication(s). K Health will remind you in advance about these check-ins, so you don’t have to keep track.
In addition to medication management, K Health also offers primary care and urgent care services for children, teens, and adults ages 3 to 65. When you purchase the mental health membership, you also get access to these services for you and your children. Unlike many other online mental health platforms, K Health does not offer therapy or any other additional features through its app.
K Health Vs Competitors
Compared to its competitors, K Health is the most affordable option for medication for anxiety and depression. Other online platforms like PlushCare and Lemonaid offer primary care and mental health services, but at a higher cost. One feature that sets PlushCare apart is that you can attend live video sessions, rather than only texting with a provider. The platform that is right for you will depend on your personal needs and budget.
K Health Vs PlushCare
PlushCare is an online healthcare platform that offers primary care, urgent care, and mental health treatment. PlushCare’s mental health offerings include psychiatry and therapy for anxiety and depression. Compared to K Health, PlushCare offers a wider range of services at a greater cost. They also accept some health insurance plans.
All PlushCare appointments are held via live video, which sets it apart from K Health. To access PlushCare’s services, you must sign up for the monthly membership program which costs $14.99 a month. Additionally, you pay a fee for each visit. The out-of-pocket cost of therapy with PlushCare is $169, but may be less depending on your insurance coverage. The cost of psychiatry is $129 for an initial consultation and $69 for follow-up appointments and also may be less with insurance. Unlike K Health, PlushCare does not offer medication delivery. Overall, PlushCare costs significantly more, but also offers more treatment options than K Health.
To learn more about what they offer, you can visit the PlushCare website.
K Health Vs Lemonaid Health
Like K Health, Lemonaid Health also offers online treatment for select medical and mental health conditions. Additionally, Lemonaid provides treatment for women’s and men’s issues, such as birth control, hair loss, and erectile dysfunction. Lemonaid is available in all 50 states but is limited to adults between the ages of 25 and 60 years old.
The cost of Lemonaid is $25 for the first month and $95 for future months. The monthly subscription fee includes monthly visits with a provider for treatment of anxiety or depression and medication shipped to you. Visits may be held via messaging or video, depending on your location. Like K Health, Lemonaid does not accept insurance. Overall, Lemonaid offers similar services but costs a bit more than K Health.
For more information about how their platform works, please visit the Lemonaid Health website.
Online Psychiatry and Medication Management Covered By Insurance
Talkiatry can match you with a real psychiatrist who takes your insurance and is seeing new patients. They’re in-network with major insurers and offer medication management. Get started with a short online assessment
How K Health Has Evolved
K Health is a New York-based company that was founded in 2016 by Ran Shaul, Allon Bloch, Israel Roth, and Adam Singolda.1 The company’s mission is to provide affordable, high-quality, and easily accessible healthcare utilizing cutting-edge technology. K Health prides itself on offering 24/7 access to urgent care, pediatric care, and mental health services. One of the unique features of K Health is how it utilizes artificial intelligence to identify potential diagnoses based on a person’s symptoms, age, sex, and medical history. Additionally, the platform offers virtual text-based visits with licensed medical providers and medication shipping.2
K Health has grown since its initial founding. In 2021, the company launched a pediatric program that allows children ages 3 to 17 to meet with a pediatrician virtually. As of 2021, K Health had secured $271 million in funding and was valued at $1.5 billion.3 In 2022, the company expanded to offer weight loss management as a part of its primary care services.4 Currently, K Health has over 100 board-certified physicians, nurse practitioners, medical scientists, and data engineers in its network.5 We attempted to reach out to K Health several times to inquire about any future plans to expand or accept insurance, but we did not receive a response back.
Final Verdict on K Health
Based on my experience, the benefits of the platform are the cost and the ability to speak with a provider fast, in some cases as little as one hour. The downsides of K Health are that they only offer text-based appointments and you cannot ensure that you will speak to the same provider again. Also, K Health’s providers do not necessarily specialize in psychiatry.
Overall, K Health may be worth a try if you need medication refilled fast. However, if you are seeking psychiatry for the first time, you may benefit from a more personalized experience where you can meet with a provider live and continue to work with the same provider for follow-ups.
Medication Management With K Health
Provider Choices | Matched |
Cost of Initial Appointment | $49 per month |
Cost of Follow-up Appointment | $49 per month |
Cost of Medication | $12 per month |
Refill Requirements | Monthly check-in |
How to Get Prescriptions | Shipped or local pick up |
Speed to First Appointment | Approximately one-hour |
Geographic Coverage | Continental US |
Age Limitations | 18-65 |
Prescriber | Physicians and nurse practitioners |
Online Therapy Available? | No |
Cost of Online Therapy | N/A |
Frequently Asked Questions About K Health
What Credentials Do K Health Providers Hold?
K Health’s medical team consists of board-certified doctors and nurse practitioners. According to the company, their providers are equipped to treat a range of medical and mental health conditions, including depression and anxiety. However, their providers are trained in primary care, not psychiatry.
How Am I Matched With a Provider on K Health?
K Health matches you with a provider that is licensed in your state within approximately an hour of initiating a visit. The first provider available will be assigned to you.
Can I Choose a New Provider with K Health?
K Health does not have a formal procedure for selecting a new provider. If you’d like a different provider, you can end the appointment and request to start a new one. You will then be assigned to the next available provider. Follow-up appointments to discuss medication refills are done with the first available provider, which may or may not be with the provider you originally spoke with.
Who is Eligible for Medication with K Health?
Medication management with K Health is available to adults ages 18 to 65.
What Medications Are Available Through K Health?
K Health providers prescribe antidepressants and anti-anxiety medications. They do not prescribe any controlled medications, such as benzodiazepines.
Where Is Medication Management Available with K Health?
Medication management with K Health is available in the continental United States. It is not currently available in Alaska or Hawaii.
How Do I Get My Medications Through K Health?
You can select between having your medication sent to your local pharmacy or having it shipped to you directly at an additional charge. The cost of having your medication shipped to you is $12 a month in addition to the membership fee.
Can I use my FSA or I Funds with K Health?
You can use your FSA or HSA funds to pay for one-time visits with K Health, but you cannot use them to pay for recurring charges, like monthly subscription fees.
How Can I Cancel My Account/Subscription with K Health?
You can cancel your account by selecting “cancel” through your profile in the app. You can also cancel by contacting K Health’s customer support team by email at [email protected]. You must do so at least 48 hours before the end of your membership term.
Does K Health Offer Refunds?
K Health may offer refunds in select cases if you are unable to receive medical services. They do not offer refunds for partially used services. All refund requests are reviewed by the Customer Operations team. You can email them at [email protected] or call 516-218-1167.
Is K Health HIPAA-Compliant?
Yes, K Health is HIPAA-compliant. For more information, you can read K Health’s Privacy Policy and K Health’s Terms of Service.
Is K Health Legit?
Yes, K Health is a legitimate platform offering medical and mental health care.
Additional Resources
To help our readers take the next step in their mental health journey, Choosing Therapy has partnered with leaders in mental health and wellness. Choosing Therapy is compensated for marketing by the companies included below.
Virtual Psychiatry
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Anxiety Newsletter
A free newsletter from Choosing Therapy for those impacted by anxiety. Get helpful tips and the latest information. Sign Up
Online Anxiety Test
A few questions from Talkiatry can help you understand your symptoms and give you a recommendation for what to do next.
Best Online Psychiatry Services
Online psychiatry, sometimes called telepsychiatry, platforms offer medication management by phone, video, or secure messaging for a variety of mental health conditions. In some cases, online psychiatry may be more affordable than seeing an in-person provider. Mental health treatment has expanded to include many online psychiatry and therapy services. With so many choices, it can feel overwhelming to find the one that is right for you.