Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Frequently asked questions

Who does Caraway serve?

Caraway is currently available for people ages 18+ in California, Colorado, Illinois, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, and Pennsylvania.

We embrace and provide care for people of all gender identities and expressions. We also specialize in the health of women and people assigned female at birth because they have been underserved by traditional healthcare. Focusing on an overlooked population helps us provide better care for everyone by avoiding the pitfalls, blind spots, and assumptions of traditional care models.

We are creating a new, accessible, innovative form of healthcare and do not tolerate racism, sexism, queer and transphobia, hateful language, or intolerance of any kind.

What makes Caraway different?

We believe the mind and body are one, which is why we use an integrated care model delivering mental and physical health simultaneously for better patient outcomes. We specifically use the evidence-based Collaborative Care model for our patients accessing mental health care. We also provide comprehensive sexual and reproductive healthcare services in an evidence-based manner.

The Care Team includes doctors, nurse practitioners, registered nurses, therapists, coaches, health advisors, psychiatrists, and other clinicians who work closely together as one team. Whether you’re receiving therapy, getting support for new or ongoing conditions, coordinating in-person care, something else, or all of the above—you won’t have to explain yourself over and over again. And you’ll never waste your time trying to figure out what kind of appointment to book or what kind of doctor you need; all your care happens in one place through one connected team.

Can I access Caraway if I am under the age of 18?

No, we’re only available to those 18 and older.

Where is Caraway available?

Caraway is currently available in California, Colorado, Illinois, Massachusetts, Michigan, New York, New Jersey, North Carolina, Ohio, and Pennsylvania, with more states coming soon!

How do I set up a Caraway account?

Download the Caraway app on the Apple App Store or Google Play Store. Sign up takes 3 minutes or less!

What can I do via telehealth?

Telehealth is proven to be safe and effective and can even lead to better health outcomes by increasing timely access to care and helping patients avoid long wait times in crowded clinical spaces. Telehealth can be used by qualified healthcare providers to assess and manage many common complaints, including a majority of health concerns for those 18+.

Our medical team is experienced with in-person and virtual care and follows evidence-based clinical guidelines. When in-person care is necessary or more appropriate, we will not hesitate to make referrals. If a referral is made, our health advisors will work with you to identify the most convenient and appropriate options for in-person care and help you make an appointment. The Care Team will follow up afterward to ensure you’ve gotten the support you need.

Can I access Caraway on a laptop?

Not yet! Caraway is a mobile app that can be downloaded from the Apple App Store and Google Play Store.

Do I have to be in school to get care through Caraway?

You don’t need to be in school to be a Caraway member. Our focus is people ages 18+, both in and out of school.

If I’m from a different state but go to school in a state where Caraway is available, can I sign up for Caraway?

Yes. If you’re currently located in a state where Caraway is available (CA, CO, IL, MA, MI, NJ, NY, NC, OH, PA), you can sign up and access care through Caraway.

Is there information on Caraway that I can share with my parent or guardian?

Yes, here is a document to share with your parent or guardian to answer their questions about Caraway.

How does Caraway provide care?

Caraway is a full-service virtual healthcare practice providing mental, physical, and reproductive health services via chat, as well as on-demand or scheduled phone and video appointments. We can answer any health-related question, prescribe medicine, order labs and blood work for you, coordinate with other clinicians, teach mental and reproductive health wellness skills, get STI test kits delivered to your address, and more. You can reach us through the Caraway app 24/7.

What mental health services does Caraway provide?

Caraway’s team of psychiatrists, psychologists and therapists provide care and support for health concerns, including but not limited to:

Feeling overwhelmed or stressed

Sadness / Grief / Loneliness

Trouble with relationships

Executive functioning skills (organization, time management, focus/attention, etc.)

Sleep Problems

Depression

Anxiety

Health Anxiety

Medication management

Referrals for complex mental health concerns, including bipolar disorder and schizophrenia

Caraway offers both therapy and coaching. Our coaching offering includes programs focused on mental wellness, as well as improving executive functioning skills. Our therapy model is goal-focused to help you develop tools you can use outside of therapy. We pull from various evidence-based practices that include Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), and we emphasize building skills that will help you both in the short and long term. Our in-app MyPath tools allow you to practice the skills developed in therapy and/or coaching not only in times of stress, but also when things are not quite as stressful.
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We are not prescribing controlled substances at this time, including benzodiazepines, opiates and stimulants.

What physical health services does Caraway provide?

Caraway’s team of doctors, nurse practitioners, and registered nurses evaluate, treat, and provide care and support for many conditions, including (but not limited to):

Headaches and migraines

Acne, rashes, and other skin conditions

Stomach issues (constipation, chronic abdominal pain, irritable bowel syndrome)

Muscle aches/pains

Allergies

Sexually Transmitted Infection (STI)s

Urinary Tract Infection (UTI)s

Common Illnesses
- Colds
- Flus
- Sinus and Ear Infections
- Sore throat
- Viruses
- Pink eye

What sexual and reproductive health services does Caraway provide?

Our Care Team of gynecologists, doctors, nurse practitioners, and registered nurses provide care and support for the following sexual and reproductive health concerns:

Birth control counseling & prescriptions

Concerns about pain or pleasure during sex

Emergency contraception

Early pregnancy options counseling

Early pregnancy care guidance and navigation (up to 11 weeks)

Medication abortion

Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) testing and treatment

Yeast infections and vaginal irritation

Sexual dysfunction

Menstrual concerns

Postnatal care navigation and guidance

We are here to educate our patients and share evidence-based information on everything from STI testing to emergency contraception to abortion. We will help you navigate the new barriers to care, state by state.

What about services I can’t get from Caraway?

For services we don't yet offer or that aren't possible to manage virtually, Caraway will help you find the right clinician, coordinate follow-up care and help understand insurance requirements, including:

Physical exams, sports physicals, and health clearance forms

Testosterone hormone therapy

New ADHD diagnoses

Bipolar disorder

Active eating disorders

Substance use disorders

Schizophrenia

IUD and Implant placement and removal

In-clinic abortion services

Pregnancy and prenatal care after 11 weeks

Pap smears

Does Caraway prescribe medicine and order labs?

Yes, our Care Team prescribes medicine and orders labs. You can have medications delivered to you or choose a preferred pharmacy for pick-up. For lab orders, the Care Team will send you to Quest Diagnostics, a different local lab, or send a test kit to your address where applicable.

Who is the Caraway Care Team?

Our Care Team is made up of doctors, nurse practitioners, registered nurses, therapists, and health advisors. When you chat with Caraway, you’re always chatting with a real person, never a bot!

The Care Team has expertise in gynecology, primary care, adolescent health, psychiatry, psychology, therapy, and social work. Our therapists are trained in evidence-based therapy modalities. The Care Team works as one integrated team to treat all of your needs in one place, and uses a Collaborative Care model to provide medication management for mental health conditions.

Can I choose my clinician, or is my clinician assigned to me?

For ongoing care and for therapy, members can choose a specific clinician to work with based on scheduling and availability.

When you tap Chat Now in the app, you’ll be connected to an available Care Team member, who will work with you to determine the best path to address your health concern.

What can I chat with the Care Team about?

Have you ever wondered if a headache was brought on by stress or your period (or both)? Felt lonely and unsure how to connect back to yourself or with others? Wished you could get quick answers from doctors instead of relying on Google? The Care Team is always available (really, always) and ready to answer any question, big or small. Don’t know where to start? Here are some questions other members have asked:

Is it normal to have irregular periods?
How can I access inexpensive birth control?
I feel lonely. Is that normal?
My acne is flaring up. What can I do about it?
Can we talk about PCOS?
Is a cold sore contagious?
I had unprotected sex. What do I do now?
What’s this rash?
I can’t sleep - help!
I've been feeling really anxious lately. What can I do?
How can I help a friend who doesn't seem OK?

You can ask us about headaches, stomach pain, sadness, medication, rashes—anything! If the Care Team can’t help via chat, we’ll initiate a phone/video visit immediately, set up a telehealth visit, and/or refer you to in-person care.

How are you addressing the unique needs of the LGBTQIA+ community?

At Caraway, we affirm all gender identities and expressions. We have primary care and mental health providers experienced in working with trans and gender non-conforming individuals, and we are able to offer a variety of healthcare services.

Currently, for individuals looking for Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT), we can prescribe estrogen and anti-androgens and offer menstrual suppression, but we are unable to prescribe testosterone due to federal restrictions. We can help coordinate referrals to experienced providers in your area for this and other services that require an in-person evaluation.

Will Caraway work with my existing primary care doctor, and does it provide primary care?

We can do both! The Care Team can assess and treat many primary care concerns via virtual care. For those services we’re not able to provide virtually, we’ll offer referrals and care coordination. If you’ve got an established primary care doctor, we’re happy to coordinate with them to ensure your care history remains up-to-date and accurate.

When you sign up for Caraway, you can agree to Health Information Exchange Consent (HIE), which gives our Care Team permission to receive and share your medical records with your external providers. You can update this setting at any time in the Privacy Policy section of the app.

If I can use student health services, why should I sign up for Caraway?

Caraway can complement student health services by providing comprehensive 24/7 care when student health may be closed (i.e., weekends, evenings), doesn’t have available appointments nor immediate access to care, doesn’t offer digital options, can’t answer questions, or isn’t able to coordinate with other clinicians. Our team provides immediate access for answering health-related questions, managing symptoms, diagnosing and treating many conditions, and educational resources as you navigate your own care at college.

Unlike student health, we are also available after you leave college. If you start therapy, long-term care, or simply find a clinician you like, we will stay with you as you transition out of college and beyond.

Will you provide medication abortion?

Our Care Team is working to develop the ability to provide medication abortion as quickly as possible in states that will legally allow us to do so. Initially, we will provide referrals for medication abortion. Our intent is to prescribe medication abortion based on evidence-based medicine in the future. We will do everything we can to provide maximum access to education, resources, and care.

How is Caraway protecting and ensuring my privacy?

We deeply value our role as a trusted care provider and follow all federal and state regulations, including HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act). Please see Caraway’s Privacy Policy for more.

Central to that promise is safeguarding the privacy of your personal information, and accordingly, there are two consents in the Caraway app. Included are Caraway’s Notice of Privacy Practices and Caraway’s Patient Service Agreement.

You’re also the only one who can decide if your information is shared with other clinicians. For this, there’s a third consent form in the Caraway app called the HIE (Health Information Exchange) consent.

If you want to delete your account, you may, but by law, we’ll need to save your medical record in our system. If you have questions about our privacy policies, you can chat with us directly in the app.

Do you share or sell my information?

No, we do not sell any of your information. We’ll only share your medical records with external providers if you decide to do so and have consented to the Health Exchange Information Consent.

How does Caraway charge for its services?

Caraway charges a membership fee for its services. Membership includes full and unlimited access to all our services, including 24/7 access to the Care Team and self-service tools to help you take control of your health.

How much is a membership?

We can tell you about how great Caraway is, how easy it is to use, and how we’ve created a healthcare experience that’s as dynamic as you are. But it doesn’t really matter what we say—the only way to know for sure is to dive in and experience Caraway for yourself.

That’s why we give new members 30 days completely free to use Caraway. Download the app, sign up, and you get free and immediate access to chat with our Care Team, explore our services, and learn how we can support the whole you—mind and body.

After 30 days, you can select either a monthly or annual membership. The monthly membership is $45/month, and the annual membership is $270/year (a 50% discount!). You can cancel or update your membership at any time.

What does a membership include?

Caraway membership includes: unlimited 24/7 chat with our Care Team; therapy and coaching; on-demand and scheduled visits; referrals for in-person care and follow-up coordination; insurance navigation; new prescriptions and refills; self-service digital care tools that teach mental health wellness skills; access to evidence-based health content; support in healthcare decision-making; STI screening kits delivered directly to you; and more.

Are there any additional costs outside of the membership fee?

All care you receive from Caraway is covered by your membership, including therapy sessions. There are no additional fees or copays.

Labs, in-person care, prescriptions, and other services you access outside of the app may require a copay based on your insurance. A Caraway health advisor will work with you to understand any charges you may incur before you are charged.

Do I need health insurance to use Caraway?

No, you don’t need health insurance to use Caraway. If you need prescriptions, labs, or in-person care, we’ll work with you to understand what your insurance covers. If you don’t have insurance, a health advisor will help you understand any costs you may incur.

We’ll issue a refund for your initial subscription or add-on charges provided that you reach out to support@caraway.health within a few days of the charge date.

Renewal charges aren’t eligible for a refund, so please make sure you cancel your subscription or renewing add-on prior to the renewal date. Any cancellation requests received after your subscription or add-on renewal will go into effect at the end of that billing cycle.

You can cancel your membership at any time in the Caraway app. If you have any issues, please contact us at support@caraway.health.

How do I cancel my Caraway membership or request a refund?

If you’d like to cancel your Caraway membership, follow this link to cancel in the Apple App Store or use this link to cancel in the Google Play Store.

Please keep in mind that deleting the app on your phone does not automatically cancel your membership—you need to cancel directly.

If you choose to deactivate your account rather than cancel, you will lose all access to Caraway, including your ability to log in and use the app or to upgrade to a monthly or annual membership without setting up a new account.

We’ll issue a refund for your initial subscription or add-on charges, provided that you reach out to support@caraway.health within a few days of the charge date.

Renewal charges aren’t eligible for a refund, so please make sure you cancel your subscription or renew the add-on prior to the renewal date. Any cancellation requests received after your subscription or add-on renewal will go into effect at the end of that billing cycle.

Does Caraway offer Financial Assistance?

Caraway offers a Financial Assistance Program to support those who cannot afford a membership. Please fill out this form to apply for the Financial Assistance Program. Applications are reviewed regularly, and all applicants will receive an email with a decision about their eligibility for the program.

What is Caraway's refund policy?

If you’ve signed up for a free trial of Caraway through a promo code or as part of your annual membership, you won’t be charged until the free trial period ends. If you don’t wish to be charged and continue your Caraway membership, you’ll need to cancel before the end of the free trial.
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If you cancel your subscription, you will remain a Limited Access member, which allows you to access the Caraway app and content for free, and makes it easy to rejoin the monthly or annual subscription any time you need immediate access to Care. You will not be charged again unless you sign up for a monthly or annual subscription.
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If you choose to deactivate your account rather than cancel, you will lose all access to Caraway, including your ability to log in and use the app, or to upgrade to a monthly or annual membership without setting up a new account.
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If you have already paid for Caraway and your experience was underwhelming or you encountered issues, please to inquire about a refund support@caraway.health.

How do I cancel my membership?

If you’d like to cancel your Caraway membership, follow this link to cancel in the Apple App Store or use this link to cancel in the Google Play Store.

Are you not sure about your charges?

Reach out to us at support@caraway.health and we are happy to take a look into your account status.

Please keep in mind that deleting the app on your phone does not automatically cancel your membership – you need to cancel directly.
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Frequently asked questions