The NCOA Adviser Reviews Team researches these products & services and may earn a commission from qualified purchases made through links included.
The NCOA Adviser Reviews Team extensively researches and tests the products & services shared and may earn a commission from qualified purchases made. Learn more about how we test products and write reviews. NCOA does not receive a commission for purchases. If you find these resources useful, consider donating to NCOA.
PlushCare is a telehealthⓘ Telehealth is the use of technology platforms to deliver health and health-related services, so you can receive health care remotely. platform that can help people with several health-related issues, including general health, sexual health, mental health, and weight loss. For those seeking help with erectile dysfunction (ED), PlushCare connects you with a doctor virtually to work through your specific ED causes and create a treatment plan. This may include medication, lifestyle changes, therapy, or a combination of treatments.
It is common for people to feel negative emotions about ED. In our January 2024 survey of men with ED, 64% admitted to feeling shame about their ED, while 54% wanted to get treatment but didn’t feel comfortable bringing it up to their health care provider in person. “Hesitancy in seeking help for ED is entirely natural, but it’s equally important to recognize that ED can be a potential indicator of underlying health issues, both physical and psychological,” said LeMeita Smith, LPC, director of clinical services at United Health Services. “Disregarding it can lead to heightened stress, anxiety, and even relationship strains.”
If you are experiencing a decline in your sex drive or sexual performance and want to learn more about treatment for ED, PlushCare may be an option. Read our PlushCare review below to learn more about the online health portal and the ED treatment options offered so you can decide if it’s the right fit.
PlushCare can be a convenient option for men looking for access to ED treatment. You can book a same-day appointment with a doctor. Your initial consultation includes an online screening, clinical advice, and a prescription for ED medication if the doctor approves.
When testing the platform, we liked that PlushCare offered same-day appointments with licensed sexual health care providers nationwide seven days per week. PlushCare doctors can prescribe ED medications if they think it is appropriate for you. Some popular ED pills you can receive from your doctor include sildenafil (generic Viagra), tadalafil (generic Cialis), avanafil (generic Stendra), and vardenafil (generic Levitra). Your prescription is then sent to your local pharmacy and can be picked up as soon as it is filled.
PlushCare does not offer medication delivery, so you will need to pick up your ED prescription in person. If you are embarrassed about picking up your ED prescription at a pharmacy, PlushCare may not be the right platform for you. Instead, you may want to consider a platform like Hims that can ship your medication in discreet packaging directly to your front door within three to five days.
“I was impressed with the fact that I could book a same-day appointment on PlushCare as late as 4:30 p.m. on a Friday afternoon. The platform even offers nighttime appointments with some doctors. When browsing the available health care providers, though, they were mostly female. If you’re a male who prefers to book an appointment with a male doctor to discuss your ED symptoms and treatment, the same-day booking feature may not offer you much variety when it comes to the available health care providers ”
– From our tester
Before you make an appointment with a PlushCare provider, it may help to learn more about the different ED medications available. Start by reading our article about Cialis vs. Viagra.
Before taking any medication or supplements to treat ED, talk to your health care provider. Viagra and Cialis may be ineffective or dangerous based on your health history and current medications. They can lead to side effects such as unsafe drops in blood pressure and heart rates, especially if you take them with certain other medications.
Some of the most common chronic conditions affecting older adults—including high blood pressure, high cholesterol, heart disease, and diabetes—can damage penile blood vessels and nerves, leading to new or worsening ED that doesn’t respond to Viagra or Cialis.
Several other ED treatments are available, including penile injections, intraurethral medications, vacuum erection devices, and a discreet penile prosthesis.
ED can also appear as one of the first symptoms of cardiovascular disease, hypertension, diabetes, anxiety, and other chronic health concerns. If you haven’t had a physical exam within the last year, don’t try to get ED medication online. Visit your doctor in person to make sure underlying conditions are diagnosed and treated alongside ED.
PlushCare is a telehealth platform that provides health services to both men and women. The platform was originally founded in San Francisco by a doctor looking to eliminate long wait times in medical offices.
For men seeking help for issues related to sexual performance and ED, PlushCare offers same-day virtual doctor appointments. The platform accepts both health insurance and out-of-pocket payments, and also offers an optional monthly membership for in-app or online messaging with health care providers. Unfortunately, PlushCare does not accept Medicare or Medicaid.
PlushCare accepts health insurance and out-of-pocket payments. If you have insurance, the cost of your visits depends on your policy and co-pay. The cost for an initial consultation with a PlushCare doctor without insurance is $129, and follow-up appointments cost $99 each. There’s also an optional monthly membership that costs $20. The membership gives you access to in-app messaging with your PlushCare providers between visits, an online care team to help with billing or scheduling questions, and a prescription discount card.
To sign up, create a new account, enter your payment and/or insurance information, and book your same-day appointment.
Schedule a same-day appointment with a licensed doctor to discuss your ED concerns.
Health care providers on PlushCare can prescribe common ED medications, like Viagra, Cialis, Stendra, and Levitra. These can be sent to your local pharmacy for you to pick up in person.
The process to create a new account is fast and easy to complete. Our testers were able to log onto the platform in a few minutes.
To book a consultation, you start by answering some questions. First, you’re asked whether or not you will be using health insurance. If you are, select your insurance provider. PlushCare accepts insurance from providers like Aetna, Anthem, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna, Humana, and United Healthcare. If you do not have or want to use health insurance, move on to select the state you live in, and the platform will show the available same-day appointments.
Our tester reviewed the platform on a Friday afternoon and found plenty of same-day appointments available in multiple states—they checked Alaska, California, Connecticut, Colorado, Florida, Louisiana, Massachusetts, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, and Pennsylvania.
They noticed that the majority of same-day appointments were with female doctors. Since ED can be a sensitive topic for some men, if you prefer a male doctor, you may not be able to find one on PlushCare with same-day appointment availability. The states we tested that did have same-day male doctor appointments available on the date of our booking were Connecticut, Colorado, Florida, Louisiana, and Massachusetts. In the other states, you can still book an appointment at a later date with a male doctor if you prefer.
After you select your appointment time, you will go to the final page to confirm your payment information for the $129 consultation fee, or the cost based on your health insurance co-pay. Here, you will also find information about the optional monthly membership for $20, which includes a free 30-day trial and then bills monthly to your credit card. The membership includes in-app messaging with the PlushCare medical team to discuss your ED treatment plan and a prescription discount card.
The final step asks you to include a reason for your visit using a text box. It is free to cancel or reschedule up to two hours prior to the start of same-day appointments.
If you have trouble booking your initial consultation, you can call PlushCare customer service for help. We spoke with a representative, within one minute of being placed on hold, who told us someone answers the phones 24/7. If you register for a new account, it will unlock access to an online chat feature where you can submit questions to a Care Coordinator or the Medical Team. It takes two to three days to receive a response, so it is better to call the number if you need immediate help.
You can reach PlushCare customer service by:
PlushCare accepts payments made with Visa, Mastercard, American Express, and Discover credit cards, as well as Elo, Diners Club, JCB, and UnionPay. The platform also accepts health insurance and is FSA- and HSA-eligible. Contact the billing department to discuss payment plan options.
Based on our research, testing, and consultations with medical experts, we determined the following factors to be essential for our readers when signing up for an erectile dysfunction medication platform:
We had all of our reviews medically reviewed by an expert in the field to ensure the information is appropriate for NCOA readers’ needs.
PlushCare is an easy-to-use telehealth platform that offers different health care services for both men and women. One of the biggest benefits of PlushCare is that it offers same-day doctor appointments seven days a week. Health care providers on PlushCare offer treatment for ED, including medication prescriptions if it is right for you. PlushCare does not deliver medication, so you will need to fill your prescription at your local pharmacy and pick it up in person.
You can pay for PlushCare using health insurance, credit cards, or FSA and HSA funds. There’s also an optional monthly membership with access to in-app messaging with the PlushCare medical team if you need ongoing support for ED. PlushCare may be a good option for online ED treatment if you are using insurance, but its initial out-of-pocket costs are higher than other platforms we’ve reviewed. For out-of-pocket treatment, you might consider a provider like Sesame or Hims.
An initial same-day consultation with a virtual doctor at PlushCare costs $129. Follow-up appointments are priced at $99, and there’s also a monthly membership option for $20 per month if you want to message the Medical Team about your ED symptoms or issues outside of scheduled doctor visits.
The best medication for ED differs for each patient. Sildenafil, tadalafil, avanafil, and vardenafil are some of the most popular prescription ED medications. But the one that is right for you depends on your erectile dysfunction symptoms, any other medical conditions you have, any current medications you take, and your lifestyle habits.
Yes, PlushCare is legit. The company is an accredited business with BBB and employs more than 100 licensed doctors and staff who provide virtual general health, sexual health, weight loss, and mental health services to patients online.
Have questions about this review? Email us at reviewsteam@ncoa.org.
