As the city of Batavia continues to mull whether it will roll out a program that gives residents access to text-based consultation with a doctor for a small monthly rate added onto their utility bills, Batavia residents can, in the meantime, try out the service for free.
Last month, the program — called Tap, or “Text a Physician” — was discussed at a meeting of the Batavia City Council’s Committee of the Whole, at which council members expressed support for the aims of the program but raised some questions about how it would work, namely the way residents are charged for it.
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The service allows individuals to virtually contact a licensed physician, physician assistant or nurse practitioner with routine, nonemergency health issues, rather than going in-person to a doctor’s office or hospital. Depending on the condition, a provider could also prescribe certain medications.
The text-based service is not intended as a replacement for health insurance coverage, according to the city.
For those using the service, doctors are available every day of the year from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m.
It requires no insurance or copay, just a monthly fee. If the program is approved for Batavia, it’s slated to cost residents $9 monthly, added onto their utility bill. Up to 10 people per household can use the service for that rate, and there is an option to opt out of the program.
TAP is used by hundreds of public entities, the company’s website says. The program was recently rolled out in nearby Algonquin, and in July was offered in Batavia to city employees only, in addition to their existing health insurance plan.
The discussion last month did generate some pushback about the opt-out model, but council members also pointed to the ways in which it could potentially expand access to care to the city’s residents. Whether the program is implemented in Batavia has not been voted on by the council yet.
Following the discussion, City Administrator Laura Newman said at a City Council meeting earlier this month that, while Batavia continues to weigh whether it will move forward with the proposed service, residents have the opportunity to try out TAP for free in the meantime.
“What they want is feedback about whether people find it useful or not,” Newman said at the meeting.
The number Batavia residents can use to try out the service is 839-887-0365, according to Newman’s presentation.
In addition to encouraging residents to test it out, Newman asked residents to provide feedback to the city about what they think about the program.
She went on to describe the program’s goal of helping people, especially those who are uninsured or underinsured, have a low-cost option to get medical care. Beyond those who lack adequate insurance, Newman also pointed out that it can save residents time and money they would otherwise spend on medical visits.
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At that meeting, there was some discussion among the council members about the program and potential outreach the city may do to get the word out to residents.
On Thursday, the city plans to host a public information session about the proposed program at City Hall from 6 to 7 p.m., at which staff will provide a presentation about the service and be available to answer questions.
The matter is currently slated for discussion again at Batavia’s Committee of the Whole meeting on Sept. 29.