What does the $350 review include?
The one-time self-pay fee covers up to 40 relevant pages, one main cardiology question, a 30-minute physician phone discussion, a written summary, questions for your treating team, and one clarification requested within 7 calendar days of the summary. See a fictional example.
How is this different from a second medical opinion?
A clinical second opinion independently evaluates a diagnosis or recommends treatment. Our service explains existing written records and recommendations and helps you prepare questions. We do not decide whether you should have a procedure, reinterpret original scans, prescribe, or change treatment. If you want an independent treatment recommendation, ask your treating team for a clinical second opinion.
Does this create a physician–patient relationship?
No. Plain Spoken Health is an educational service and does not establish a treating physician–patient relationship. Your own clinicians remain responsible for diagnosis, treatment, prescriptions, monitoring, and follow-up. This description does not waive any rights or duties that applicable law may impose.
Why is it New York only?
We currently limit the service to adults in New York so we can keep eligibility and the service scope clear as we launch. We confirm location before accepting a case and at the time of the call. This is our current service boundary, not a statement that every educational service must be New York only.
How are cases accepted or declined?
We look for a focused, nonurgent question about an existing cardiology recommendation, relevant written records, and a request that can be handled within the educational scope and 40-page package. We may ask you to narrow the question or obtain missing reports. We decline urgent concerns, requests for diagnosis or treatment decisions, questions outside our expertise, and cases that cannot be responsibly explained from the available records. There is no charge for a declined request.
What happens if I have more than 40 pages?
Please tell us before sending records. We will help identify the relevant reports and remove duplicates. We will not silently omit important material or add an overage fee. If the question cannot be addressed within 40 relevant pages, we will narrow the scope with you or decline the package. Any different service would need a separate written scope and price before you agree.
How long does it take?
We aim to respond to an initial inquiry within 2 business days, hold the call within 5 business days after acceptance, payment, and complete records, and deliver the summary within 2 business days after the call. Business days are Monday–Friday, excluding U.S. federal holidays, in Eastern Time. These are service targets; we confirm actual dates before payment and tell you if something changes. Missing records or your scheduling preferences can extend the timeline.
When do I pay?
After acceptance and after we confirm the scope, appointment, and delivery target. There is no payment to send an initial inquiry. Do not send payment-card information by email.
What is the cancellation and refund policy?
Cancel before the scheduled call starts for a full refund, even if record review has begun. If you miss the call, you may reschedule once without an extra charge or request a full refund before a replacement call starts. After a completed call, the fee is generally nonrefundable, provided we deliver the included summary. If we cancel or cannot deliver the agreed service, we provide a full refund. If we miss a confirmed call or summary deadline, you may accept a new date or request a full refund. We initiate approved refunds to the original payment method within 5 business days; your provider may take longer to post the credit. Read the full terms.
Do you accept insurance, FSA, or HSA funds?
This is a self-pay educational service; we do not submit insurance claims. Do not assume it qualifies for insurance reimbursement or FSA/HSA spending. Eligibility depends on the service and your plan’s rules. Confirm with your plan administrator before paying; we cannot guarantee reimbursement. We can provide an itemized receipt.
Can a family member join?
Yes, with the adult patient’s permission. Tell us who will attend when arranging the call. Sharing another person’s records requires their authorization or appropriate legal authority.
Which records should I gather?
Start with the most recent cardiology note, relevant catheterization report, echocardiogram report, stress-test report, and current medication list. Only gather records relevant to the question; you may not need every item. Use the records checklist. Wait for approved transfer instructions before sending any records.
Can I upload records or send them by email?
Not through this public website. Start with a general availability inquiry only. Do not email medical records, symptoms, dates of birth, insurance details, or other sensitive information. Our current portal is a restricted test environment and is not open for real patient records. We will provide an approved transfer method before any records are requested.
What if my concern is urgent?
Do not wait for this service. If you think you may be having a medical emergency, call 911. For other time-sensitive symptoms or treatment questions, contact your treating clinician. This inbox is not monitored for urgent care.
Do you use advertising pixels or session recording?
No. This public site has no advertising pixels, session replay, or third-party analytics. It has no medical intake fields or file uploads. We do not capture form entries or file names for analytics. Hosting providers may process technical request information to deliver and protect the site. Read the privacy policy.