Frequently asked questions
How does Dr. B work?
Dr. B is a quick way to get the everyday medications you depend on from the comfort of home. We help you get the best price by allowing you to choose the pharmacy where you’d like your medication fulfilled (unlike competitors who often up charge the price).
Our process is hassle-free: after taking an online health assessment, a board-certified doctor will review your information and, if medically appropriate, write you a prescription and send it to your pharmacy of choice, which can be online or your local spot.
During working hours, prescribing physicians typically review consultation requests in three hours or less. Once the pharmacy receives your prescription, you can expect to be able to pick it up in 15-30 minutes.
If you have any questions or concerns about your prescription, you can request a call from a doctor from your Patient Dashboard. We’re always here to help support your health.
What role did Dr. B play during the vaccine roll-out?
Dr. B launched as a free vaccine standby list in the U.S. before nation-wide resources were available. We worked to save lives by matching patients who needed a vaccine with vaccine providers who had excess doses. Our standby list prioritized patients according to local guidelines, ensuring that those at highest risk were bumped to the front of the list. In just a handful of months, we launched in 37 states, onboarded 700+ vaccine providers, and ultimately sent out 1 million+ dose alerts.
Where does the name Dr. B come from?
Dr. B is named in honor of Cyrus Massoumi’s grandfather, whom the family affectionately referred to as Dr. Bubba. The original Dr. B became a doctor during the 1918 Spanish flu, and dedicated his life to removing obstacles between patients and care.
Where is Dr. B available?
Dr. B can treat patients located in: Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Jersey, New York, Nevada, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin and Wyoming, with more states coming soon.
Can I use Dr. B while traveling?
Yes! As long as you’re physically located within one of our active states, you are eligible for treatment–even if you’re visiting from somewhere else.
Where can I find more information about Dr. B?
Does Dr. B replace my primary care doctor?
Not at all. While each prescription request is reviewed by an in-house, board-certified physician, you’ll always want to maintain a face-to-face relationship with your primary care physician.
Want us to send your information to your doctor? Let us know at privacy@hidrb.com.
Who can use Dr. B?
Anyone 18 years or older who is currently located in one of the 41 states where Dr. B is active can request a prescription consultation through our platform. A physician will be able to write you a prescription if they review your health assessment and determine that you are eligible for treatment.
How much does a prescription consultation cost?
We’re committed to full price transparency with zero hidden fees or surprises. We charge $15 per prescription consultation, which is cheaper than most doctor co-pays.
While we’re not currently able to accept insurance for your consultation, you can use insurance or coupons with your pharmacy, which allows you to get the lowest price possible.
How long does it take to get a prescription?
Prescribing doctors are online every day from 8AM-8PM ET. During working hours they typically review prescription consultations in under three hours (and often much faster). If you request a consultation after hours, a doctor will review it right away the following morning.
Once a prescription is approved and sent to the pharmacy you selected, you can expect an average wait of about 15-30 minutes before it’s fulfilled. In some cases this can take up to two hours. If you selected an online pharmacy, shipping times are dependent on their fulfillment carriers.
Please note that while we work hard to provide you with care as quickly as we can, Dr. B does not have control over pharmacy fulfillment times.
Does Dr. B accept health insurance?
At this time we don’t submit medical consultation claims to insurance companies, but our consultation fee is cheaper than most co-pays and you can typically use insurance for the prescription at your pharmacy.
Does Dr. B accept Medicare or Medicaid?
At this time, Dr. B does not accept Medicare or Medicaid.
What are Dr. B’s hours?
Our doctors are online seven days a week from 8AM-8PM ET. Our support team is available to support you seven days a week from 7AM-8PM ET and you can contact us via Live Chat or by emailing us at hi@hidrb.com.
Is Dr. B safe?
The Dr. B prescription consultation process was designed by a team of top medical professionals and it ensures that you receive the same standard of care that you would receive from an in-person visit with a physician. This standard of care includes all rules, regulations as well as adherence to both state and federal medical standards.
Board-certified physicians will only prescribe medications if they deem it is safe and medically appropriate based on the information provided by patients.
Is Dr. B HIPAA Compliant?
Although we are not technically regulated under HIPAA, we take the privacy and security of our patients’ information very seriously and have modeled our privacy and security compliance after the standards set forth in HIPAA.
What should I do if I’m having a medical emergency?
If you think you might be experiencing a medical emergency, you should call 911 or head to the nearest emergency room immediately. You should seek immediate medical attention if you have any of the following symptoms:
- Difficulty breathing, shortness of breath
- Chest pain or pressure
- Severe stomach or abdominal pain
- Fainting or sudden dizziness
- Changes in vision
- Confusion or changes in mental status
- Sudden and severe headache
- Yellowing of skin or eyes
- Uncontrolled bleeding
- Persistent lightheadedness or dizziness
- Thoughts of harming yourself or others
Do generics work just as well as name brand medications?
Yes. Generic medications are less expensive, but clinically equivalent to more expensive brand name medications in terms of ingredients, dosage, safety and side effects. Generics are just as safe and effective as their name brand counterparts and are only approved by the FDA after extensive testing to prove equivalency.
To give you the most options, Dr. B offers prescription consultations for both generic and brand name medications, but if you request a brand name, you should know that you’ll likely have to pay more at the pharmacy and your insurance may not cover it.
I'm experiencing side effects. What should I do?
How do I contact customer service?
You can get in touch with us via Live Chat by clicking the “Need help?” button at the bottom of each page or by emailing us at hi@hidrb.com.
What do I do if my pharmacy didn’t receive my prescription?
Your prescription is sent to your pharmacy of choice as soon as a prescribing doctor approves it. If for some reason your pharmacy doesn’t receive the prescription, please contact us immediately via Live Chat or by emailing us at hi@hidrb.com. Including your consultation reference number in your message will help us serve you faster.
Please note that while pharmacies typically fill a prescription in 15-30 minutes, in some cases it may take as much as two hours to complete. While we work hard to serve you quickly, Dr. B does not have control over pharmacy fulfillment times.
What is Dr. B’s policy on controlled substances?
While we strive to provide access to a wide range of prescriptions, Dr. B does not prescribe controlled substances. If your medication falls under this category, we recommend consulting with your primary care provider.
How old do I have to be to get a prescription consultation from Dr. B?
You must be 18 years or older to get a prescription consultation from Dr. B.
Can I fulfill my prescription outside my state?
No, federal requirements require prescribing doctors to be located in the same state as their patients, which means we can only send prescriptions to pharmacies in the state where you are currently located.
Why isn't Dr B available in every state?
We’re working hard to make everyday medications accessible and affordable in as many places as possible—but it takes time. Healthcare laws vary from state to state and while telemedicine adoption accelerated during the Covid-19 pandemic, it’s still evolving in some locations. If you’d like to know when Dr. B launches in your state, please let us know via Live Chat or by emailing us at hi@hidrb.com and we’ll keep you posted.
Why does Dr. B need my location?
Patients must be treated by a doctor licensed in the state they are located in according to U.S. medical regulations. We ask for your location in order to ensure we’re in compliance. Your personal information is never shared without your consent and we have modeled our privacy and security compliance after HIPAA standards.
Does Dr. B use real doctors?
Yes. While much of our service is provided virtually, our benchmark is the same standard of care and safety that you would receive in a doctor’s office. Each prescribing physician is board-certified in the states where we’re active and has undergone a rigorous background check and credential verification. When you get a prescription consultation through Dr. B, you’ll be able to see the credentials of the prescribing physician and can easily verify that they are real.
Who are the prescribing doctors?
All Dr. B prescribing physicians are practicing, board-certified doctors licensed in your state.
How can I find my doctor's credentials?
What if I need more information from my prescribing doctor?
If you have questions about your prescription and want to talk to a physician, please login to your Patient Dashboard and select “Ask a follow up question” in the Support section. Typically a doctor will respond to you within 1-2 days.
If it’s an emergency, you should immediately call 911 or go to your nearest emergency room.
Does Dr. B share information with my primary care physician?
I'm a doctor interested in working with Dr. B. Where do I start?
Are my payments to Dr. B safe?
Yes! Our payment provider is certified for the most stringent level of security in the industry and leverages best-in-class protocols for storing, decrypting and transmitting card numbers. All personal information is protected and kept highly secure.
How will payments appear on my bank account or credit card statement?
The payment amount will show next to “Dr B - hidrb.com.” No other details will be included.
What is your refund policy?
Once you receive a prescription consultation from a physician, we're not able to refund your consultation fee. If you believe there was an error in your prescription or have questions or concerns about the medication you were prescribed, please contact us via Live Chat or by emailing us at hi@hidrb.com and we’ll be happy to help.
I signed up in the past. Will my information be shared?
Can I send personal information to you by email?
How can I unsubscribe from the Dr. B newsletter?
The easiest way to unsubscribe from the Dr. B newsletter is to click the “unsubscribe” button at the bottom of the email. You can also email us at privacy@hidrb.com from the account you would like unsubscribed and we will remove you from our mailing list.
