Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Frequently Asked Questions

Who does Caraway serve?

Caraway is currently available for people ages 18-27 in California, Colorado, Michigan, New York, North Carolina, and Ohio.

We embrace and provide care for people of all gender identities and expressions. Our care platform is centered around women and people assigned female at birth, recognizing that these populations have been underserved by traditional models. By focusing on an overlooked population, we solve for the common pitfalls and assumptions of traditional care models, and ultimately provide better care for everyone.

At this time, we are not able to offer gender-affirming hormone therapy (coming soon), but we will help connect patients to appropriate specialists. We support the growing need for accessible, affordable and innovative healthcare solutions for people of all races, ethnicities, gender identities and sexual orientations and do not tolerate racism, sexism, queer-phobia, hateful language, or intolerance of any kind.

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

You don’t have to be in school currently to be a Caraway member. Our focus is on women and AFAB people ages 18-27 and we support enrolled students as well as those who may not be currently enrolled, whose studies may be on pause or who are working.

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

No, we are only available to those 18 and older.

In which states is Caraway available?

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

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 are currently located in a state in which Caraway is available (CA, CO, MI, NY, NC, OH), you can sign up and access care through Caraway.

How do I set up a Caraway account?

Download the Caraway app on the Apple App Store or Google Play Store. Sign up takes 5 minutes or less!

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.

Can I access Caraway on a laptop?

Not yet. Currently, Caraway is a mobile application that can be downloaded on a mobile device from the Apple App Store and Google Play Store only.

Is telehealth safe? What is the difference between telehealth and in-person care?

Since the start of the COVID pandemic, telehealth (virtual care) has been increasingly used across many disciplines and has proven to be safe and effective. Telehealth can be used by qualified healthcare providers to assess and manage many common complaints, including a majority of health concerns for 18-27 year olds. As a flexible option for communication, telehealth can lead to better health outcomes by increasing timely access to care, and helping patients avoid long wait times in crowded clinical spaces.Our medical team is experienced with both in-person and virtual care, and follows evidence-based clinical guidelines for providing care. They are sensitive to times when in-person care is necessary or more appropriate, and will not hesitate to make referrals. Our health advisors will then work with members to identify the most convenient and appropriate options for in-person care, and our Care Team will follow up afterward to make sure the member has gotten the evaluation and support they need.

What services does Caraway provide?

Caraway is a full service virtual healthcare practice: mental, physical and reproductive health. We can answer any health related question, prescribe medicine, order labs and blood work for you, coordinate with other clinicians, teach mental health wellness skills and get STI test kits delivered to your campus address, among many other services.

Caraway’s clinicians work together as one integrated care team. We believe that the mind and body are connected, and that better care comes from having both types of needs addressed in the same place.
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Caraway embraces and provides care for people of all gender identities and expressions.

Mental Health
- Stress Management
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Health Anxiety
- Sleep Problems
- Sadness / Grief

Physical, Reproductive and Gynecological Health
- Headaches, Migraines
- Acne, Rashes
- Diarrhea, Constipation
- Muscle Aches / Pains
- Allergies
- Birth Control Counseling
- Birth Control Prescriptions
- Emergency Contraception
- Abortion Counseling
- Sexually Transmitted Infection (STI)s
- Urinary Tract Infection (UTI)s

Common Illnesses
- Colds
- Flus
- Sinus and Ear Infections
- Strep
- Mono
- Stomach Flus
- Covid Infections

Referrals & Care Coordination
- For healthcare services that are not possible to manage virtually, Caraway will help you find the right clinician, make an in-person care appointment and coordinate follow-up care, including:
  - Physical Exam
  - Sports Physical
  - Health Clearance
  - IUD Placement and Removal
  - Abortion Services
- For healthcare services that are currently out of our scope of care, Caraway will help you find the right clinician, make an appointment and coordinate follow-up care, including:
  - Medication Abortion Services
  - Gender-Affirming Hormone Therapy
  - New ADHD Diagnoses
  - Bipolar Disorder
  - Eating Disorders
  - Substance Use Disorders
  - Schizophrenia

Coming Soon
- Medication Abortion
- Specialty Care
- Gender-Affirming Hormone Therapy
- Eating Disorders
- In-Person Care

We are not prescribing controlled substances at this time, including benzodiazepines, opiates and stimulants.

Does Caraway prescribe medicine and order labs?

Yes, our care team prescribes medicine and orders labs within the scope of care services noted above. You may have medications delivered to you or you can choose a preferred pharmacy for pick up. For lab orders, our care team will send you to Quest Diagnostics or a local laboratory, or send you a test kit to your college address where applicable.

Who is the Caraway care team?

Our care team is composed of trusted and experienced nurse practitioners, physicians, therapists, care coaches, and health advisors who have experience working with college women and AFAB people. Our 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, including Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT).

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

All of the clinicians on Caraway’s Care Team care for patients from the LGBTQIA+ community. We respect each person’s way of expressing their gender including how they would like to be communicated with and identified in their medical record. At this time, we are not able to offer gender affirming hormone therapy, but will help connect patients to clinicians who are able to offer appropriate services. Coming soon, we will be providing these services at Caraway.

Will Caraway work with my existing primary care doctor or does it provide the primary care?

We can do both. The Caraway Care Team can assess and treat many primary care concerns. For those services we are not able to provide remotely, we will offer referrals and care navigation. If you have an established primary care doctor, we are happy to coordinate with them to ensure that your care history remains up to date and accurate. This may be particularly important during school breaks to maintain a continuity of care. By optionally consenting to the Health Information Exchange Consent (HIE) when signing up or in the Privacy Policies section of the Caraway app, you give our Care Team permission to receive and share your medical records with your external providers.

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). Our team provides immediate access for answering health-related questions, managing symptoms, treating certain conditions, and providing educational resources as you navigate your own care at college. We provides mental, physical and reproductive healthcare all in one place and know that addressing these needs simultaneously improves short and long term outcomes. We strive to uncover diagnoses early and teach health skills to set the course for lifelong healthcare habits and overall wellbeing.

What reproductive health services do you provide?

We provide birth control options counseling and prescriptions, emergency contraception, and abortion counseling. Our Care Team will prescribe medication abortion based on evidence-based medicine and as allowed by state law. Caraway will do everything it can to provide maximum access to education, resources and care.

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.

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

Caraway works differently than traditional health care models. We know that for most college students, accessibility and convenience of health care are top priorities. When using our app, we connect you directly via chat (in app messaging) to one of our clinicians who can determine the best path to address your health concerns. This care team member may be able to resolve your question right away; however, if not, they may suggest you schedule a telemedicine appointment with us. For these types of appointments or ongoing care for an established issue and/or therapy, patients will have the option to choose a clinician to work with based on scheduling and availability.

What does Collaborative Care mean?

We use a specific type of integrated care called Collaborative Care for our mental health care which ensures we find the right kind of treatment for each patient. The Collaborative Care Team includes a primary care clinician, therapist, care coordinator and consulting psychiatrist working closely together as one team.

What can I chat with the Care Team about?

The Care Team is there to respond to any of your health needs, big or small. If you have a question about a health topic, or if there is some symptom that has been bothering you for some time, the Care Team can help identify, educate, treat and support you in your health care inquiry at any time. A few examples of questions to ask via chat:

Is it normal to have irregular periods?
How can I access inexpensive birth control?
I'm worried I might be depressed.
I think I have a wart - what do I do?
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?
Why are my breasts tender?
I can’t sleep - help!
I've been feeling really anxious lately. What can I do?
How do I deal with a stomach bug?

You can ask us about headaches, abdominal pain, sadness, rashes and just about anything! If the Care Team can’t help via chat, we’ll initiate an audio/video visit immediately, set up a telehealth visit and/or refer you to in-person 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. Also, you are the only one who can decide if your information is shared with other clinicians. For this, there is 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 we will need to save your medical record in our system by law. If you have any questions about our privacy policies, chat with us directly on the Caraway app.

Do you share or sell my information?

We do not sell any of your information. We will 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 promotional membership fee for its services. Membership includes access to Caraway’s mental, physical and reproductive healthcare services provided by our experienced Care Team via our app, available in both the Apple App Store and Google Play Store.

How much is the membership fee?

For individuals, Caraway will charge a promotional membership fee of $20 per month or an annual membership fee of $180 (25% discount) paid via credit card, with a 30-day free trial. The membership can be canceled at any time. You can find information about your current membership status in the Membership & Payment section of the Caraway app.

What is included in the membership fee?

Caraway membership includes: unlimited 24/7 chat with our experienced Care Team; on-demand and scheduled visits, including therapy; referrals for in-person care and follow up coordination; insurance navigation; Rx refills; digital care tools that teach mental health wellness skills; access to evidence-based health content; support in healthcare decision-making, access to STI kits delivered to your campus address and more.

Are there any additional costs outside of the membership fee?

There are currently no additional costs from Caraway. If you have insurance, it may require copays for prescriptions, labs or in-person care. Your Caraway Health Advisor will work with you to understand your benefits.

Do I need health insurance to use Caraway?

No, you do not need health insurance to become a Caraway member. If you need prescriptions, labs or in-person care, we will work with you to understand what your insurance covers. If you do not have insurance, we will help you understand any costs. Your Caraway Health Advisor will work with you to figure out the best option for you.

How do I cancel my Caraway membership?

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

Does Caraway offer Financial Assistance for members who cannot afford the membership fee?

As part of our mission to fundamentally change how college women experience the healthcare system, Caraway offers a Financial Assistance Program to support those who cannot afford care. Financial Assistance can assist with membership fees. If you are unable to pay for care, 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.

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Frequently Asked Questions