Alina Y.
Paid for a 10-minute call, left without care, medication, or refund
Paid for a 10-minute call, left without care, medication, or refund I had a deeply disappointing experience with Circle Medical. I booked and paid for an anxiety and depression video assessment specifically to continue a medication I had already been taking. I completed all questionnaires honestly and disclosed my medical history upfront. The actual video visit lasted about 10 minutes. During that call, the provider decided that I was “not a good fit for telemedicine” and refused to prescribe or continue any medication. I was told to find a local psychiatrist instead. As a result: I received no treatment I received no prescription I received no referral or follow-up care And no refund Despite this, Circle Medical insists the appointment is “fully billable” because I was given the “opportunity to consult,” even though the outcome was decided almost immediately. What makes this worse is that I am on a very limited budget. This appointment left me without both money and medication, which directly worsened my anxiety. That context was completely ignored in their responses. Their billing team sent multiple canned replies repeating the same message, refusing to take responsibility or offer any resolution. The charge was processed after the appointment, and no invoice was initially available. If Circle Medical has strict internal rules that disqualify certain patients from receiving mental health care via telemedicine, this should be clearly enforced before booking and payment, not after a brief call where the patient is then charged in full. Based on my experience and the number of similar reviews, this feels less like patient-centered care and more like a business model that charges first and declines care later. I would strongly caution anyone seeking mental health support, especially those relying on continuity of care or living with anxiety, before using this service.
Response from Circle MedicalJan 7, 2026
Hi Alina, thank you for sharing your perspective. We understand how upsetting it can be to leave an appointment without the outcome you were hoping for, especially when continuity of care and cost are significant concerns. To clarify, appointment fees cover the time and opportunity to consult with a licensed medical provider and receive a clinical evaluation. Treatment decisions, including whether telemedicine is appropriate or whether a medication can be prescribed or continued, are made at the provider’s discretion based on clinical guidelines, safety considerations, and the information available at the time of the visit. Visit charges are not dependent on a prescription being issued, the length of the visit, or a specific outcome. Eligibility requirements and prescribing limitations for mental health care are outlined on our website to help set expectations prior to booking, including circumstances where telemedicine may not be appropriate: https://help.circlemedical.com/en/articles/9592188-eligibility-for-mental-health-care That being said, we greatly appreciate this feedback and will continue working to make eligibility requirements and care limitations clearer at the time of appointment booking. We take concerns like this seriously and are committed to reviewing our processes to help prevent similar experiences in the future. Because we can’t review or discuss individual situations in a public forum, we encourage reaching out through our HIPAA-secured in-app chat if additional clarification or support is needed. Thank you.