Complaints

The complaint text that is displayed might not represent all complaints filed with BBB. Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:01/22/2025

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I sought help with weight management through HelloAlpha on 1/21/25, where I was required to provide payment information before receiving any treatment or services. I believed this was only to secure an appointment, as the website stated that charges would occur after the first appointment. At no point did the website mention that ******** or any state-funded insurance would not be accepted until after my payment was charged without my authorization. After being charged $79, I was informed they do not accept state-funded insurance, and I would not be able to fill my prescription. I immediately called to cancel within one minute of receiving this notice. I have not used any services or made any appointments, yet the website indicated the payment was non-refundable. Additionally, the cancellation process was unnecessarily complicated and took me over 1 an hour to navigate the website to cancel. This company frauded me and did not provide the service.

  Business Response

  Date: 01/29/2025

  Hi Marilynda, thank you for bringing this to our attention, and for sharing this feedback about our website. As a primary care platform, we are committed to our patients whole health.  By including our weight loss service with our other primary care services, your provider will be able to be a partner in your care, and youll be able to have more frequent interactions with them.  Your membership includes up to four visits per month for over 100 common conditions, and we are proud to offer access to convenient health care at a more affordable price than similar companies in the industry.

  You have made a number of specific factual claims to which we want to respond to help you better understand our services and our website.  First, even though you have cancelled your membership and will not be charged for any future membership charges, please know that you still have access for a full month to submit up to four visits for more than 100 conditions we currently treat. The list of conditions we treat is available on our website under For Individuals and What we Treat.

  Next, you note that the website stated that charges would occur after the first appointment.  We are confused by this statement, as we dont require appointments at Hello Alpha for our best-in-class asynchronous-first telemedicine.  You can submit a visit at any time, 24/7, that is convenient for you, and from anywhereeven from the comfort of your own home, and we encourage you to do so.  No need to miss work, school, or any other commitments.  Our website explains our membership benefits.  (See *************************************************)

  You also note that At no point did the website mention that Medi-*** or any state-funded insurance would not be accepted until after my payment was charged without my authorization.  We would point you to the **** on our homepage, under Does Hello Alpha accept insurance? where we answer that Were not able to accept insurance for medical fees or membership fees, but some pharmacies may accept your health insurance for medication.  Also on our home page, under the *** heading, Will my insurance cover my medication? We state, Please note: Currently, ********, ********, and other state- or federally-funded plans cannot be used for any prescription written by an Alpha provider.  If you have one of these plans you will have to pay the cash price for the medication, if your plan allows. 

  We would also point you to the documents you agree to before you sign up for membership.  In addition to our Terms and Privacy Policy, we are required to have individuals sign a Consent to Telehealth.  You agreed to this document before you joined as a member and will agree to it again before submitting a visit.  Because we want it to be easy to find, it is always available on our home page, as well.  It states in relevant part, You acknowledge and understand that the Services are not covered by ******** or Medicaid  You are responsible for paying for the Services and our services are not eligible for subsequent reimbursement by ********, ******** or any other government- funded program.  As you can see, we have worked to make clear well in advance of payment that we cannot accept any government-funded plans.  That said, we thank you for your thoughtful comments, and we will review our process with your comments in mind.

  We also want to thank you for your views on our automatic cancellation process, and we regret that you found it unnecessarily complicated.  We have worked hard to make it straight-forward, easy, and stress-free. Specifically, any member may cancel automatically by logging in, selecting Account, Plan and Payment, and then Cancel Plan.

  In other words, we do not make individuals go through multiple screens of but wait! style offers, and we are very proud that we have provided a simple, easy-to-find mechanism that immediately cancels your membership and prevents future membership charges.  

  We are so pleased that you have given Hello Alpha a try. Please note that you still have a full month in which you are eligible to submit up to three additional visits for over 100 common conditions.  

  We have a team of highly-rated providers especially trained in womens health issues, and we invite you to submit a visit today and give us the opportunity to continue to serve you.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:10/30/2024

  Type:Sales and Advertising Issues
  Status:

  UnresolvedMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  Provider is refusing to provide a prescription for mounjaro that i paid for in August and that was somehow lost when sent electronically to my pharmacy of choice. At the time the prescription was supposed to be sent i was a paying member and had completed all requirements to receive that prescription.. 1) they at first refused to do so because i had cancelled my membership in October. They told me i had to restore my membership in order for them to provide what i paid for in August. 2) I then restored my membership which includes doing another visit and generating another prescription for october. 3) i then again requested they resend the prescription for august. 4) their response was to point out that i had received the october prescription which i had restarted to generate. 5) i again requested they resend the august prescription. 6) they're response was to then state they would transfer the october prescription to my august pharmacy. i paid for a prescription in august and a different one in october. there is always a back log of this medicine and they will eventually be filled as the supply becomes available. this group could not do more to avoid providing good customer service if they tried to do so deliberately.I simply want them to resend that prescription to my pharmacy in severn md for august.

  Business Response

  Date: 11/19/2024

  We apologize for any miscommunication, and are sorry for the experience you had. Initially, our provider verified the pharmacy you wanted to use and sent your prescription there, and there appears to have been some confusion with which pharmacy you wanted to use.  When you change pharmacies, we do not transmit multiple prescriptions for the same medication to different pharmacies.  Healthcare provider follows certain guidelines in prescribing medications and for safety reasons, will limit the amount of prescriptions they prescribe.  A prescription has been sent to ******, and we cannot duplicate it or send a second one to **** Club for a past visit.  Our team is absolutely willing to provide you with a refill at your next visit.  Thank you for bringing this to our attention. Well work to improve these processes with local pharmacies and be clearer with our updates in the future..

  Customer Answer

  Date: 11/20/2024

   
  Complaint: 22490286
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

  the provider submitted a prescription to my requested pharmacy. they then somehow electronically cancelled the prescription . when i asked them to fix their mistake and restore the prescription their entire focus and effort was not to provide good customer service and fix the mistake but to fabricate excuses as to why they would not do so.  the multiple prescription excuse was the latest and one of many. 

  they first told me they would not fix their mistake because i had cancelled my prescription in October even though my membership was active in August when they made the mistake.

  they led me to believe that restoring my membership would allow them to fix my 

  they then used the excuse that my october prescription prevented them from fixing my august prescription. 

  In the process they tried to blame the pharmacy for the cancellation of the prescription. 

  this medication is very popular and hard to get . as a result there is always a lag in time when supply becomes available at the pharmacy.

  if they had not cancelled the august prescription it would have been filled approximately two months later . 

  this company has been very frustrating to deal with.  

  they have gone through a lot of effort to make excuses to deny me good customer service. 

  if they tried to deliberately make this anymore difficult they could not have done so. 
  
  Sincerely,
  
  *** *******

• Initial Complaint

  Date:07/23/2024

  Type:Product Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  On November 9, 2023, I had a Zoom consultation with *****************************, NP re: Weight Loss and she prescribed Ozempic and sent the prescription to my CVS pharmacy. It was learned my insurance would not cover this medicine, so I contacted Patient Support and on December 3, 2023 ***********************, NP prescribed Wegovy, also for weight loss, and sent the prescription to my local CVS. I was told by the pharmacist that a Pre-authorization was required so I requested HELLO ALPHA's assistance. My request for insurance to cover this medication was denied. I messaged my Care Team & updated them w/status: I cannot pay upwards of $1000/per month for Ozempic OR Wegovy, therefore, this membership was useless. I was charged $49 in November 2023 and $49 in December 2023. Again in January 2024 & February, $49. Then for reasons unknown to me as I did not request this - $64 charged on March, April, May, *********** 2024. These charges were never authorized and my communication with the Care Team was clear after receiving NO BENEFIT from this membership and NO FOLLOW UP VISITS. Please issue a refund of all charges except for the 1st Visit on November 9th, as this was the only Tele-health visit accomplished. No follow-up visits happened after that.

  Business Response

  Date: 08/13/2024

  Hi *******, 
  

  Thanks for reaching out!
  
  It is important to keep in mind that, just like at a doctor's ******* completing a visit does not guarantee you will receive a prescription. Our providers create your treatment plan based on their evaluation of your individual needs. It also does not guarantee that you will obtain medication due to external factors such as insurance coverage or stock issues. 
  Our records show your care team reached out to you with additional options for treatment.
  
  As noted in our terms: ********************************************, which you agreed to during your Hello Alpha sign-up, membership plans automatically renew, indefinitely, until you cancel your subscription. Upon each renewal, your membership continued for an additional month (30 days), at Alphas then-current price for your selected plan. An email notification is sent 5 days prior to each renewal. In that email, there are instructions on how to manage your membership plan.
  
  As soon as we received your initial request to cancel, on 7/20/24, our team provided detailed instructions on how to cancel your membership through your patient portal dashboard. We see that your membership was successfully canceled the same day.
  
  Thank you!

• Initial Complaint

  Date:03/11/2024

  Type:Sales and Advertising Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I would like a refund from this company. I paid for a membership that allowed me to have 4 visits per month. I signed up for some weight loss treatment. Dr ********************* gave me a prescription and I had adverse reactions. She then, recommends I try certain meds that are known to cause weight loss. But she also stresses how she can't provide prior authorization for the meds I want outside of her recommendation. She then proceeds to force me to complete two new visits (using up all my visits for the month of February) and sends over prescription for weight loss meds either not covered by insurance or requiring her prior authorization. I am now out of my 4 visits and have to pay out of pocket. I do not have any weight loss medication. I tried to work things out with the business but they do not respond to your phone calls or emails. I want a refund for the $64 because this company did not provide the service promised.

  Business Response

  Date: 03/19/2024

  Hello!
  
  Thank you for reaching out! Unfortunately, I cannot match the email you provided with a Hello Alpha account. 
  
  We can address your feedback here. Our providers adhere to the standards of evidence-based care to ensure we provide safe and effective care, this includes completing a new visit for any medication changes. 
  
  We also provide resources on our website to help you know what medications are covered by your insurance before purchasing a membership. 
  
  ************************************************************************************************
  
  I see that your visit was reviewed, and your provider was in the process of creating a treatment plan to meet your clinical needs. A visit includes your providers review of your clinical information and medical history plus your messages to discuss recommendations and your preferences.
  
  It is important to keep in mind that, just like at a doctor's ******* completing a visit does not guarantee you will receive a prescription. Our providers create your treatment plan based on their evaluation of your individual needs. It also does not guarantee that you will obtain medication due to external factors such as insurance coverage or stock issues. Review our refund policy for more information.
  
  Thank you!

  Customer Answer

  Date: 03/19/2024

   
  Complaint: 21392422
  
  I am rejecting this response because: I paid $64 to be able to use it for weight loss. I had to use up two of my visits and have no medication. The doctor prescribed medication that she knew wasnt going to be accepted by insurance. This is called fraud because your doctor intentionally prescribed and suggested meds that I couldnt obtain. But the doctor obtain the fee for the service. This warrants a refund or a law suit. 
  
  Sincerely,
  
  *****************************

  Business Response

  Date: 03/20/2024

  Hello!
  
  Thank you for your continued feedback. 
  
  I have located your account and see that our team has issued a credit to your account.
  
  Because every plan and set of benefits is unique, we do not know your copay, coverage, or whether prior authorization is needed. In order to obtain the most accurate information and expedite the process of obtaining your medication, we encourage you to contact your insurance provider directly prior to confirming your choice. This will allow you to determine if the medication is covered, if a prior authorization will be needed, and what your co-pay will be.
  
  Our team can also assist with a prior authorization request if requested by you. 
  
  Please see the message from our team in your secure patient portal and we can continue communication there. This is to protect your privacy and ensure your care is safe and effective.
  
  Thank you!
  

• Initial Complaint

  Date:03/01/2024

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I bought the hello alpha membership in order with being explained that I did not need insurance or if I did have insurance ( which I do ) it would serve as a secondary and help cover the cost of my medications . The membership based on my profile was upgraded to a premium membership . Before the first appointment with a Dr it was. Informed to me that they still needed to use my insurance and it would not help lower the cost of my medicine. I explained I would not benefit from this membership . Before the appointment I would like a refund ** I have insurance .

  Business Response

  Date: 03/19/2024

  Hello ********,

  A member of our team has messaged you in your secure patient portal. This is to protect your privacy and ensure your care is safe and effective.
  At Alpha, its our mission to provide each patient with high-quality, personalized care, and we assure you that our team will address your concerns.
  We appreciate your patience and understanding.
  
  

• Initial Complaint

  Date:02/22/2024

  Type:Order Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  Was cut off of both visits prematurely and didn't get to complete them and they counted them as visits. It was a mistake I should get my 2 visits back

  Business Response

  Date: 03/08/2024

  Hello!

  If you havent yet, please message your support team through our secure patient portal. This is to protect your privacy and ensure your care is safe and effective.
  
  At Alpha, its our mission to provide each patient with high-quality, personalized care, and we assure you that our team will address your concerns.
  We appreciate your patience and understanding.
  
  

  Thank you!

• Initial Complaint

  Date:01/17/2024

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  ResolvedMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I used to use Hello Alpha a couple of years ago before I had insurance. They were great. I just lost my health insurance and contracted a cold that wouldnt go away so I signed up for their medical service, paid the $29 membership fee and signed in for an evaluation. After answering a few questions about my symptoms and medical history, I was given a message stating that I could not be treated through this service for what I needed due to my medical conditions. I was advised to see someone in person. I sent a message through to Alphas customer service to cancel my membership and request a refund of the fee I had paid only minutes ago. I informed them of the reasons why (I wont be able to use the service at any point due to my existing conditions). I got an auto reply back stating that the email address I sent my message to wasnt always monitored (then why give it out at all?) and that I should go through my profile portal. I waited a day or so, didnt hear anything, and messaged again through the portal. I received a reply back basically stating that I paid and agreed to their terms and conditions, which stated no refunds. Which is all true. BUT had I known I couldnt be treated, I would not have signed up. This feels like such a dishonest business practice. There was no pre screening of current conditions prior to me signing up. So I still ended up having to seek medical care elsewhere and now Alpha will not refund me but did let me know that I can use my cancelled membership until the end of the month (only I cant because of my existing conditions and the fact that they wont treat me). This seems highly unethical. How many other people have paid for a service up front, only to be denied that service/product? It seems like a scam to me.

  Business Response

  Date: 01/24/2024

  Hi *******!
  
  Thank you for sharing your feedback, we take this information seriously as we work to improve our service. 
  We understand that a member of our team has already issued a refund for your membership fee.
  
   If you have any questions or feedback for us, please send us a message through our secure messaging system.
  
  Thank you! 
  
  

  Customer Answer

  Date: 01/25/2024

   
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ***********************

• Initial Complaint

  Date:12/08/2023

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I have been paying ***** per month and never was able to complete the website. Now trying to cancel. They have no phone number. I sent an email, with no answer. I just want the membership stopped. If you try to go to the cancellation page, it is not available.

  Business Response

  Date: 12/18/2023

  Hello *****!
  
  Thank you for bringing this to our attention. I am confirming that you do not have an active membership. Although there were attempted charges, none of them were ever processed because the required information needed to be updated.
  
  
  If you have any questions or feedback for us, please send us a message through our secure messaging system or email us at **********************************. 

  Thank you! 

• Initial Complaint

  Date:09/25/2023

  Type:Product Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  Transaction Dates 8.23.2023 - Cancelled Billed again after cancellation on 09.23.2023. This company is mainly for women. Also they have you pay upfront and then you spend an enormous amount of time trying to get a proper diagnosis even though they say they work with your insurance for prior authorizations. They will not refund anything even if you make a mistake and decide its not the service you agreed for (mainly for womens health). Also make sure you remove your credit card cause after you cancel they keep charging. There are waaay better options online for remote chronic care. Buyer beware.

  Business Response

  Date: 09/27/2023

  Hello!
  
  We are sorry to hear that your experience did not meet your expectations.
  
  Our providers partner with each patient to determine a treatment plan based on their evaluation of your clinical history, current symptoms, and preferences. It is important to keep in mind that, just like at a doctor's ******* completing a visit does not guarantee you will receive a prescription. It also does not guarantee that you will obtain medication due to external factors such as insurance coverage or stock issues.
  
  I see that you continued correspondence with your provider after your cancellation request and were working together on a care plan. Your provider requested specific medical documentation that is needed to proceed with your preferred plan and offered alternatives. Because we have provided care and services, were unable to issue a refund of the membership fee for the month when this visit was completed. We have verified that your membership has been canceled.
  
  Due to a technical issue, your cancellation was not processed as expected on 8/23/23. I am glad to see that you have already connected with a member of our support team, who has ensured the cancellation is processed and issued a refund for the unexpected charge. Please accept our apology for any inconvenience this caused.
  
  If you have any questions or would like to continue care, please send us a message through our secure messaging system. Our team is here to support you. 
  
  Thank you!
  
  

• Initial Complaint

  Date:06/20/2023

  Type:Customer Service Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I used to really like this service but when going back to try and refill my medication, I realized the app was now gone and it is entirely impossible for me to reply back to my provider. They asked that I send in a new picture and when hitting the send button it does absolutely nothing. I tried to start a new message since I was not able to speak to anyone on the phone about this and same thing- message will not send. This is so upsetting considering theyre prices went up but their level of customer service went down.

  Business Response

  Date: 06/21/2023

  Hi *****,
  
  Thank you for sharing your feedback, we take this information seriously as we work to improve our service. 
  
  Our team is aware of the issue sending messages that you described. This technical issue was resolved within a brief period of time. We are truly sorry for the interruption this caused in your experience. 
  
  Its our mission to provide high-quality care, and Alpha works best on a web browser. Our app is unavailable as we take some time to ensure the app is a helpful experience for all Alpha patients.
  
  You can continue to access your account and all ********************** services on a web browser by visiting HelloAlpha.com. No need to download or update an app!
  We are glad to see you have been able to connect with your provider. Please reach out to us through your secure patient portal if you have questions or need assistance.
  
  Were here to support you and make sure you get the care thats right for you. Thanks for choosing Alpha!