Healow Portal Messaging – Capital Diabetes & Endocrine Associates

Click here to access to the Patient Portal:

Staying connected with your care team — when it’s free and when it may be billed to your insurance?

Messaging through the Healow Patient Portal is a secure and convenient way to communicate with your provider anytime — whether you’re at home, at work, or on the go.

At CDEA, we aim to respond to portal messages in a timely manner. Most messages are free of charge, but starting 9/1/2025, some messages that require your provider’s medical expertise and time may be billed to your insurance.

Why We Bill for Certain Messages

The number of patient messages we answer has more than doubled since 2019. Billing for certain messages allows us to maintain the same high level of care while keeping our providers available and responsive.

If Your Message Is Billed to Insurance

Maximum cost: Typically no more than $50.
Many patients owe $0 or a small amount depending on insurance coverage.
Billing occurs only when your provider spends 5 minutes or more reviewing your record, assessing your question, and giving medical advice.

Coverage examples:

Medicare: Most patients owe nothing; some may have a $3–$8 co-pay.
Medicare + secondary insurance: Usually $0.
Commercial insurance: Often covered at low or no cost. If you have a deductible or if it’s not covered, you may owe $33–$50.

Tip: Contact your insurance company for exact costs under your plan.

Examples of Billable Messages

Your message may be billed if it requires clinical decision-making, in-depth chart review, or a change to your care plan. Examples include:

Adjusting medications.
Addressing new symptoms.
Reviewing and explaining lab results.
Updating treatment for a chronic condition.
Routine check-ins for ongoing condition management.
Requests to complete simple medical forms.
- Note: For complex forms such as FMLA or prior authorizations, you must schedule an appointment (in-person, virtual, or by phone).

Examples of Free Messages

We will not bill for messages that are quick to answer and do not require detailed review or changes to your care plan. Examples include:

Scheduling or rescheduling an appointment.
Requesting a prescription refill.
Questions that lead to scheduling an appointment.
Follow-up questions related to a visit within the past 7 days.
Routine post-procedure check-ins.
Brief updates that don’t require treatment changes.

FAQs

Q: What if I don’t want to be billed for messages?

A: You can schedule an in-person, telehealth, or phone appointment instead.

Q: Why now?

A: The increase in portal messaging volume means providers are spending significant time on clinical questions outside of visits. This change ensures we can continue providing timely, thorough responses.

Note: the best way to know for sure if any service is covered under your health insurance plan is to call them directly, their phone number is in the back of your insurance card.

PATIENT PORTAL FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:

Ask healow: How do I log in for the first time?

Ask healow: When logging in I am receiving a login error?

Ask healow: I forgot my PIN. How do I change my PIN?

Ask healow: What is the linking accounts feature? How do I link accounts?

Ask healow: How do I remove a linked account?

Ask healow: How do I view my past and upcoming appointments?

Ask healow: How do I setup an appointment reminder?

Ask healow: How do I request medications?

Ask healow: How do I add medication to my list?

Ask healow: How do I request a medication refill?

Ask healow: How do I view my Lab and DI imaging results?