There’s a new wave of healthcare changing the way people get meds, and brands like Hers are right at the centre. Instead of waiting weeks for a doctor’s appointment or standing in a pharmacy line after work, you pull out your phone, answer some health questions, and medication lands at your doorstep. It all sounds super convenient. But here’s the snag that trips up heaps of people: can you use your insurance? Or is Hers only for those willing to pay out of pocket? If you’re scrolling through Reddit threads or Facebook groups hunting for a straight answer, you’re not alone. Hers is everywhere in the telehealth world, but insurance coverage is where it gets a bit fuzzy.
How Hers Works: Behind the Scenes of the Platform
First up, let’s break down how Hers operates. Hers (often partnered with its brother-brand Hims) is a direct-to-consumer telehealth company. Their setup is kind of like an online doctors’ office, pharmacy, and delivery service all in one. You pick the service you want (think: birth control, hair loss, mental health, skincare, sexual health), fill out a quiz-like form outlining your needs, and sometimes do a video call with a licensed healthcare provider. If you’re approved, your prescribed meds are shipped right to your door.
They’ve streamlined a bunch of stuff—plus, Hers handles everything online without you having to set foot outside. But one of the key differences compared to your standard GP? Hers operates outside traditional insurance networks for most services. It sounds wild at first but it's become a common trend for telehealth startups. These companies bet on convenience, lower prices for basic services, and privacy.
Unlike local clinics that usually bill your insurer directly, Hers charges you directly—whether it’s for a consult, subscription, or medication. Want something like birth control pills? You pay Hers a fixed price each month, and that covers both the doctor consult (if needed) and the actual meds. It’s simple. But don’t expect to flash your insurance card upfront like you might at the chemist around the corner.
Does Hers Accept Insurance? The Honest Truth
This is the question everyone wants answered: Does Hers accept insurance? The straight-up answer: Hers does not accept insurance for most of its services or medications as of mid-2025. That goes for both medical consultations and prescription meds. You can’t enter your insurance info at checkout. You can’t ask Hers to submit claims to your insurer for you. The main reason? Hers keeps everything cash-pay and direct so they can serve patients across the US with as few hurdles as possible.
But, don’t bail just yet. There’s a bit more nuance here. Hers says you can sometimes pay out-of-pocket and then try to get reimbursed if you have certain kinds of coverage—like an FSA (Flexible Spending Account) or HSA (Health Savings Account). Hers provides itemized invoices in your account profile. These are what you’d submit if your plan allows you to get reimbursed for telemedicine or prescription purchases outside their own pharmacy network.
Let’s touch base on what kinds of things might possibly be covered with a reimbursement, according to data from US insurance firms collected in 2024:
| Service/Product | FSA/HSA Eligible? | Requires Insurance? |
|---|---|---|
| Birth control pills | Yes | No (via Hers) |
| Hair loss medication | Sometimes | No |
| Skin care prescriptions | Sometimes | No |
| Mental health consults | Rare | No |
| Therapy (video chat) | Sometimes | No |
Always check the rules for your exact FSA/HSA plan since policies vary.
Why Doesn't Hers Take Insurance? What’s the Logic?
If you’re used to paying $5 for the pill at a chemist with insurance, it sounds bonkers to fork over $30 or more online. Why doesn’t Hers just deal with insurance, like a normal clinic or pharmacy? Here’s the deal: Hers wants to run things lean, fast, and mostly nationwide. Insurance billing adds a mountain of headaches—verifying plans, arguing over claims, covering unpaid gaps, and jumping through regulatory hoops in every state.
Private insurance companies all work with networks. Hers would have to sign up as a provider with dozens of private insurers, plus national schemes, and that’s a costly juggling act. By ditching insurance, Hers can offer the same prices across borders, keep things private, AND reduce admin costs. Plus, prescription prices with Hers can actually be lower than copays at traditional clinics if you’re uninsured or have a high-deductible plan.
Data from a JAMA Network report in late 2024 showed that nearly 41% of US adults aged 18–34 preferred paying for online consultations out of pocket to avoid sharing their health data with insurers. That’s a surprising number, right? For lots of younger folks, privacy and convenience outweigh the savings from insurer networks, especially for sensitive stuff like sexual health or mental wellness.
Tips for Making Hers (and Telehealth) Work With Your Coverage
Here’s where you can get smart about costs. Even if Hers doesn’t do insurance billing, a few tricks might help you soften the hit to your bank account:
- FSA/HSA reimbursement: Pay Hers directly, then download an itemized bill and submit to your FSA or HSA provider online. Some plans approve these, especially for OCPs, dermatology, and mental health consults.
- Shop local vs. online: Take Hers’ prescription and see if your local pharmacy gives you a lower price using your insurer for the pick-up. Hers lets you choose “Pharmacy Pick-Up” for many common meds.
- Insurance for some treatments: For certain chronic conditions (like diabetes or hypertension), insurance is still cheaper at traditional clinics or pharmacies. But for “out-of-network” stuff (like hair regrowth meds or anxiety prescriptions), Hers’ pricing sometimes beats the price you’d get with a high copay.
- Loyalty programs: Hers sometimes runs coupons, referral bonuses, or discounts—if you don’t have insurance, look for these deals before subscribing.
What to Watch For: Fine Print, Limitations & Extra Costs
All this sounds pretty convenient, but the direct-pay world isn’t flawless. Here are a few things you might not notice right away:
- No surprise bills: The price on Hers is what you pay. Unlike some clinics where you get hit with surprise co-insurance charges later, Hers is upfront.
- Limited scope: Hers doesn’t handle everything. If your issue needs lab work, imaging, or hands-on care, you’ll need to seek traditional, insurance-based care anyway.
- Prescription transfers: Maybe you want to switch to your local pharmacy. Hers can send prescriptions elsewhere, but coverage depends on what your insurance will allow—often your local chemist will charge you your regular copay if coverage applies.
- Out-of-country exclusions: Hers only serves residents in the United States at the time of writing, and shipping internationally isn’t available even if you’re an American abroad. If you live in New Zealand, Australia, or the UK, you’ll need to find a local or global telehealth provider with coverage accepted in your country.
- Privacy: For those who care, going direct-pay means less data sharing about your health conditions. Your insurer won’t know what services you’re using, which appeals to people dealing with stigma around conditions like anxiety, depression, or sexual dysfunction.
So, next time you’re debating signing up for Hers but worried about insurance, remember: it’s direct, cash-pay, and built for privacy and convenience. If you’ve got access to a health savings account, use it. For everything else, compare costs, check for coupons, and get savvy with your prescriptions. It’s a new era for online medicine, but navigating the insurance game still takes a bit of homework.
