In a Nutshell
pros
- Well-designed app with intuitive interface
- AI helps match patients and doctors
- Very low rate, just $20 per year
cons
- Limited to California
- No video or phone chat
Curai Health at a Glance
How Can I Get Treatment?
Instant messaging through the app
Urgent Care Fee
N/A
Accepted Insurance
No insurance needed
Medications Prescribed
All medications except diet pills, ED medication, psychiatric and narcotic drugs, and medical marijuana.
Hour of Operation
24/7 (Doctors available 10am - 9:15pm, Mon-Sun)
Follow up Consultations
No
How Does Curai Health Work?
Curai is available online and as an app for Android and iPhone. After downloading the app and creating an account, you have a 30 day free trial to test the services and see if it’s right for you. After 30 days, you’ll be charged $20 per year for as long as you continue to use the services.
Setting up your account is easy. Simply enter your name, gender (male, female, transgender, non-binary, intersex, other, or prefer not to answer) and pronoun information, and birthdate. You’re also given the opportunity to select your location, but for the moment, Curai only operates in California. When you’re ready for your first visit, you’ll be asked another series of questions relating to symptoms and medical history.
We found the process comfortable and intuitive, with helpful suggestions in the answer fields and questions that were easy to parse.
Curai works through a 2-tiered triage system. Your first interaction will be with a Curai “Health Coach.” These are not MDs, but are trained professionals with experience in healthcare, like a nurse or other practitioner. The health coach will determine whether you need medical help, whether an in-clinic visit would be better suited to your problem, or will match you to a Curai doctor based on your symptoms and profile.
You should expect your chat to take about 30 minutes, depending on your symptoms, doctor availability, and how quickly you respond. All of your conversations are instant messaging-based, rather than video or phone like some competitors, although you can also send photos to help in the diagnosis.
What Does Curai Health Treat?
Curai doctors can help with a wide range of medical needs, including:
- Prescription renewals and referral requests
- Birth control and pregnancy
- Colds, flus and allergies
- COVID-19
- UTI
- Pediatric care
However, Curai doctors cannot provide help for dental issues, diagnosing asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), treating emergency medical conditions, or prescribing certain medications (diet pills, injectables, ED medication, narcotics and other controlled substances, psychiatric medication, and medical marijauna).
How Much Does Curai Health Cost?
Curai Health costs $20 per year, and includes a 30-day free trial when you sign up. There are no additional pricing tiers or plans, so on top of being quite cheap, it’s also very straight forward. Subscriptions include an unlimited number of consultations. Filling prescriptions costs extra, but may be covered by your insurance.
Does Curai Health Take Insurance?
No. You can use your insurance to fill prescriptions given by Curai Health doctors, but your insurance won’t cover the cost of the app itself (although, at $20, it’s cheaper than most insurance providers’ copays).
What Do People Say About Curai Health?
“Can’t believe that I can talk to a doctor for free and get treated. I couldn’t see my primary care doc because of COVID, and this app was able to address my issue. Really easy and convenient to use - and the doctor was very thorough and caring in addressing my issue.”
“Game changer. I’m kind of upset that I’ve wasted so much time in waiting rooms after using this app. A lot of the stuff I had to visit a doctor for I just do here and the BEST part is that I can get checked with tests and they can prescribe meds now. … I’m keeping this on me forever for all my med issues.”
“I was able to get on and chat to Dr. Ruksana within minutes of signing on. She answered all the questions my sick and addled brain had, no matter how silly I thought they were. She made sure to ask not only about my symptoms, but my environment and activities as well, so she could offer advice based on a complete picture, not just a handful of symptoms! I can’t express how valuable that was! This doesn’t replace a doctor’s or hospital visit at all, but I would have been so much worse off if it hadn’t been for the advice of Dr. Ruksana. She advised me (based on my symptoms) not to wait and get checked out ASAP, and followed up with me later on. I am so glad I listened! I will definitely be continuing to use this app!!!”
Curai Health FAQs
Does Curai Health prescribe medicine?
Yes, Curai Health doctors can prescribe most medication, with some notable exceptions (narcotics and medical marijuana, ED medication, diet pills, and psychiatric drugs).
Can Curai Health give me a doctor's note?
No. If you need a doctor’s note for school or work, you will need to see a physician in-person.
Do I need a subscription for Curai Health?
Curai Health is only available as a year-long subscription, although at just $20 ($1.60 per month), it’s very affordable. You also get a free 30-day trial, so you can sign up for free if you have a specific question, and decide whether you want to keep the app or not.
What hours does Curai Health have appointments available?
Doctors are available to answer questions from 10am to 9:15pm, every day of the week, while Health Coaches are on call 24/7 and will help you decide your best course of action.
Bottom Line
Overall, Curai Health is a super-affordable alternative to long wait-times at clinics for many of the most common medical needs encountered by people today. The app is intuitive to use, and uses AI and machine learning to help patients better describe their symptoms to doctors. At just $20 per month for unlimited consultations and typical response times of just 5 minutes, Curai ticks a lot of boxes. There’s no phone or video chat, but the overall experience is still very simple and fast.
