TeleDoc is Virtually Painless: Try it

​Licensed physicians are available online 24 hours a day to consider your symptoms and provide medical advice, including prescriptions. And you'll save time: this advice comes with an estimated 10-minute wait time, all from the comfort of your phone or home computer.

​According to statistics, 40% of ER visits occur on weekdays during normal working hours, so your virtual visit could save you hours in a crowded waiting room.

According to The Atlantic, the average cost of a U.S. ER visit in 2015 is $2,168. And even if you have health insurance, your deductible for an ER visit can range from $50 to $5000 or more out of pocket, with additional copays. The virtual ER model usually charges much less-about the amount of an office visit copay.

What symptoms point to a virtual visit? If you break a bone, you should head to the ER. Your regular doctor should treat a chronic illness flare-up. But if you have the following symptoms, a virtual visit may be a good option:

• Flu-like symptoms
• Migraine
• Rash
• Respiratory infection symptoms
• Sore throat

As consumers increasingly try to manage health care expenses, experts predict virtual visits will grow over the next few years. If you want to save money on your next medical event and think a virtual visit will work, contact your insurance agent to see if this technology is offered on your policy. If not, he or she will work with you on your options.