Small businesses face a healthcare benefits dilemma: flat-rate telehealth at $39.95 monthly versus per-visit charges up to $299. One model could slash your healthcare spending by 30%, but the math might surprise you.
Key Takeaways
- Allutional’s $39.95 family plan covers up to 8 people with $0 copays, while MDLive charges per-visit fees ranging from $0-$299 depending on insurance coverage
- Mental health services through MDLive can cost $179+ per session, compared to Allutional’s included coverage at no additional charge
- Small businesses can achieve 15-30% healthcare spending reduction through fixed-rate telehealth models versus variable insurance-dependent pricing
- Beyond basic telehealth, Allutional includes business protection features that MDLive doesn’t offer
- Predictable monthly costs eliminate the uncertainty of insurance lottery systems that leave employees guessing about their healthcare expenses
Small business owners face an impossible choice: provide quality healthcare benefits without breaking the budget, or risk losing talented employees to competitors offering better coverage. The telehealth market promises a solution, but navigating between flat-rate and per-visit pricing models creates new confusion for HR managers already overwhelmed by healthcare decisions.
Flat-Rate vs. Per-Visit Telehealth Costs Breakdown
The fundamental difference between Allutional and MDLive lies in their pricing philosophy. Allutional operates on a flat-rate model at $39.95 per month, while MDLive follows a traditional per-visit structure that varies dramatically based on insurance coverage and service type.
MDLive’s pricing varies significantly across services. Urgent care visits cost $0-$89, therapy sessions range $0-$108 for initial appointments with $140 follow-ups, and psychiatry appointments can reach $299 before insurance adjustments. This variable pricing model forces employees to calculate costs before seeking care, often delaying necessary treatment.
Virtual appointments typically average $40-$50 compared to $176 for in-person care, though costs can vary based on visit type and insurance coverage. TelehealthWatch provides analysis of these cost structures to help businesses make informed decisions about employee benefits packages.
Family Coverage: 8 Members vs. Individual Plans
Allutional’s $39.95 Family Package (Spouse + 6 Children Over 2)
Allutional’s family coverage represents exceptional value for employees with dependents. The single monthly fee covers the primary member, spouse or domestic partner, and up to six children over age two—potentially eight family members total. This includes 24/7 telehealth access, mental health support, prescription discounts, vision and dental savings, and business protection features.
For growing families, this model eliminates the anxiety of per-person healthcare calculations. A family of four seeking urgent care through traditional per-visit services could face $200-$300 in monthly costs during active illness seasons, while Allutional maintains the same $39.95 regardless of usage frequency.
MDLive’s Per-Person Fee Structure
MDLive operates on individual visit charges that multiply quickly across family members. The per-visit model works well for occasional users but becomes expensive for families requiring regular healthcare access.
Insurance coverage significantly impacts MDLive costs, with some plans offering $0 copays while others charge full rates. This creates uncertainty for employees who cannot predict their healthcare expenses from month to month.
Cost Multipliers for Growing Families
Mathematical reality favors flat-rate models for active families. Consider a family with two working parents and three school-age children during flu season. Traditional per-visit charges could easily exceed $400-$500 monthly during peak illness periods, while Allutional’s fixed rate provides budget predictability regardless of usage patterns.
The cost advantage becomes even more pronounced when including mental health services, prescription savings, and additional benefits that Allutional bundles into their base price. Families accessing multiple service categories through per-visit providers often face bills exceeding their monthly insurance premiums.
Beyond Basic Telehealth Services
Mental Health Access: $0 vs. $179+ Per Session
Mental health represents the starkest cost difference between these platforms. MDLive charges $0-$108 for initial therapy sessions and $140 for follow-ups before insurance, while Allutional includes unlimited mental health access with their base package at no additional charge.
For employees managing ongoing mental health needs, this difference becomes substantial. Weekly therapy sessions through MDLive could cost $432-$560 monthly before insurance adjustments, while Allutional provides the same access for $39.95 total. Small businesses supporting employee mental health find this difference crucial for both budget planning and employee retention.
Business Protection Add-Ons
Allutional extends beyond healthcare into business protection. Their Business Sense package includes identity theft monitoring with up to $10,000 expense reimbursement coverage, legal services, financial wellness coaching, cell phone protection, and cybersecurity tools. These features target small business owners who wear multiple hats and need integrated protection across personal and professional domains.
MDLive focuses strictly on medical services without these additional protections. For entrepreneurs seeking multiple types of coverage, Allutional’s bundled approach eliminates the need to source multiple vendors for identity protection, legal services, and financial planning.
Small Business ROI: 15-30% Healthcare Spending Reduction
Employee Retention Benefits
Healthcare benefits directly impact employee retention, with quality coverage reducing turnover costs significantly. Allutional’s fixed-rate model allows small businesses to offer predictable, extensive benefits without the budget volatility of traditional insurance plans.
Studies suggest telehealth can reduce overall healthcare spending by 15-30% compared to traditional insurance models, though some research indicates telehealth does not routinely reduce cost of care delivery for the health system. For small businesses operating on tight margins, potential reductions translate into thousands of dollars annually while providing superior employee benefits that compete with larger corporations.
Reduced Sick Day Costs
Early intervention through accessible telehealth reduces both sick days and productivity losses. Allutional’s 24/7 access encourages employees to address health issues promptly rather than waiting for traditional office hours or avoiding care due to cost concerns.
Johns Hopkins Medicine’s “Hospital at Home” program demonstrated 32% cost reduction ($5,081 vs. $7,480) for at-home care compared to traditional treatment. While this intensive at-home care program is not directly comparable to standard telehealth services, the data supports the broader principle that accessible, convenient healthcare can reduce overall system costs.
Single-Vendor Administrative Simplification
Administrative efficiency represents hidden value in Allutional’s bundled approach. Instead of managing multiple vendors for telehealth, mental health, identity protection, and legal services, small businesses can streamline vendor relationships and reduce administrative overhead.
Single-vendor relationships simplify employee onboarding, reduce invoice processing, and eliminate coordination complexity between multiple service providers. For small businesses without dedicated HR departments, this operational efficiency provides tangible time and cost savings.
Pricing Transparency: Fixed vs. Variable Models
MDLive’s Insurance-Dependent Pricing ($0-$299 Range)
MDLive displays potential costs upfront, but actual charges depend heavily on insurance coverage. This creates variability where employees cannot predict expenses until after service delivery, particularly challenging for those managing healthcare needs on tight budgets.
The $0-$299 range for psychiatry services alone creates decision complexity for employees managing mental health needs, as final costs remain uncertain until insurance processes the claim.
Allutional’s All-Inclusive Monthly Model
Allutional eliminates pricing uncertainty through their fixed monthly rate. Employees know exactly what healthcare will cost regardless of usage patterns, encouraging proactive care rather than reactive emergency treatment.
This predictability extends to family planning, mental health support, and prescription needs. Families can budget confidently knowing their telehealth expenses remain constant whether they use services once yearly or multiple times monthly.
Choose Predictable Benefits Over Insurance Lottery
The healthcare industry’s move toward transparency and predictability favors fixed-rate models over variable pricing systems. Small business owners seeking to provide competitive benefits without budget surprises find Allutional’s bundled approach addresses multiple employee needs through a single, predictable monthly investment.
For HR managers evaluating telehealth options, the choice extends beyond simple cost comparison to include administrative efficiency, employee satisfaction, and long-term business sustainability. Allutional’s model supports all three priorities while eliminating the guesswork inherent in traditional healthcare benefit planning.
Consider telehealth solutions that provide predictable costs and extensive family coverage through TelehealthWatch.com to make informed decisions about your employee benefits strategy.
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