This winter, I suffered from an ear infection that just wouldn’t go away. I had to take multiple rounds of antibiotics before it finally cleared up. I felt terrible for much of the time, unable to hear and just generally feeling yucky, which is why I was so glad for Teladoc.
During the entire time I was sick, I could have tried to make an appointment with my general practitioner or gone to urgent care and waited, and I would have gotten the help I needed. However, I had a much easier time using Teladoc because I could just stay at home and wait for a doctor to reach out to me.
Let me tell you, feeling the way I did, I preferred staying at home and waiting to see a doctor rather than going out and sitting in a waiting room, having to get dressed and leave the house in cold weather.
My situation is exactly what Teladoc is designed to help with. They can see people for many common illnesses and provide a prescription on the spot. It’s usually completely free, and if it’s not, you’ll know the cost in advance and can decide whether to proceed.
And there’s another reason I love it as MI Benefits Guy: it actually helps keep our claim costs lower. Going to urgent care is much more costly to us.
That’s not really the main reason to use Teladoc, though. It’s the ease of using it when you or a family member isn’t feeling well. During that same illness, my 6-year-old also got an ear infection. We used Teladoc again! Let me tell you how nice it is not to have to get a 6-year-old who’s feeling sick out the door and to sit in a waiting room.
Teladoc is easy to use and available 24/7/365. You can call a toll-free number, visit teladoc.com, or use their mobile app. Just tell them you need to be seen and for what reason, and you’ll usually see someone quickly. The longest I’ve waited is a couple of hours. While that is a bit of time, it’s a couple of hours waiting at home rather than in an office, which is much better! If you want more information on how to access Teladoc with our active BCBS plan, please look here. If you’re retired, you also have access to this kind of service, but the process is different. Reach out to our office if you don’t know how to do that.
I really encourage you to try Teladoc if you haven’t already. If you have, keep using it — I know I will. It’s a great benefit.
Last Updated on March 30, 2026