A different way to healthcare in Columbus

One membership, practical ways to move care forward

SakeOf combines healthcare advocacy, fair-price review, selected direct-service and discount benefits, and voluntary member-to-member community funding for eligible medical expenses. The aim is to give you useful ways to approach everyday care, choose a provider, and work through medical charges without making the process feel like a maze.

Start with the need in front of you. For a routine concern, see whether an active telemedicine option fits. For ongoing care, consider a primary-care relationship. When you need an examination, test, procedure, or specialist in person, choose a provider and confirm the service and expected charges with that office. If you receive a bill, Full Service advocacy and fair-price review can help you understand the next steps.

Use the calculator to explore membership options, provider search to look for care, and the Savings Guide to prepare for a bill or compare your next steps. Jordan can also help answer a question as you consider membership choices.

Everyday services you can select

Zero Copay Telemedicine is a direct-service option for virtual care when it is selected, active, and appropriate for your situation under program rules. A virtual visit may help with a new, non-emergency concern, but some needs call for an in-person examination, lab, imaging, or specialist visit. If a virtual clinician recommends follow-up, use provider search to consider local options and contact the provider about access and charges.

Rx and Prescription Benefits has a $10 monthly adjustment. Its current formulary includes about 70 commonly prescribed acute medications at $0 when program requirements are met. The medication must be listed, clinically appropriate, and legally prescribed, and access is through participating pharmacy locations. Check that the medication and pharmacy fit the current program requirements.

Mental Health and Counseling has a $6 monthly adjustment and includes unlimited on-demand telephone counseling at $0. Up to three face-to-face consultations per incident may be available when arranged through the program. Rx and Prescription Benefits and Zero Copay Telemedicine must remain active for this option.

Virtual Primary Care has a $15 monthly adjustment and provides $0 virtual primary-care access with a dedicated physician relationship and ongoing virtual follow-up support. The current bundled tier also includes an annual virtual wellness visit and support for chronic-care follow-up and medication management when appropriate for virtual care. Rx and Prescription Benefits, Zero Copay Telemedicine, and Mental Health and Counseling must remain active. The calculator can help you review options and their monthly adjustments.

Local care and public resources in Columbus

ZIP 43211 is associated with Columbus in Franklin County. Columbus Public Health is at 240 Parsons Ave., Columbus, OH 43215, and lists clinical and public-health programs. Call 614-645-7417 or check the city’s service information for current programs and how to access them. Citywide listings are a useful starting point, not confirmation of availability or costs for a particular appointment.

The city’s Sexual Health and Wellness Center lists testing, treatment, and education. Appointments are preferred, walk-ins are limited, and fees are on a sliding scale; the city says inability to pay is not a reason for refusal. Confirm current services, fees, and access directly with the clinic before visiting.

For benefits application help, Columbus Public Health lists walk-in Marketplace and Medicaid sign-up assistance at its Resource Center at 240 Parsons Ave. Call the Social Work Helpline at 614-645-6807 to ask about current hours and requirements. Franklin County also provides online and telephone routes for Medicaid applications and instructions for submitting documents. These are city and county resources; eligibility and benefits are determined through Ohio’s Medicaid program.

OhioHealth lists Grant Medical Center at 111 S. Grant Ave. (614-566-9000), Doctors Hospital at 5100 W. Broad St. (614-544-1000), and Riverside Methodist Hospital at 3535 Olentangy River Rd. (614-566-5000). Contact a facility to confirm its services, availability, and expected charges. OhioHealth also lists hospital financial counselors and patient pricing and billing contacts; ask the relevant facility about estimates and financial assistance. A listing or estimate does not establish your final patient cost.

Choose providers and prepare for the cost

Provider choice is part of the SakeOf approach: use provider search to explore possibilities, then contact the office or facility about the specific service, appointment access, participation in any applicable arrangement, and expected charges. For planned care, request an estimate and ask how billing works before scheduling when possible. The provider can explain its charges and any available financial assistance.

Columbus Public Health and OhioHealth provide different kinds of local options: municipal clinical programs on one hand, and hospital and health-system services on the other. Decide which kind of service fits your need, then confirm the location and access details directly. For Medicare provider comparisons, Medicare Care Compare is a federal tool; it does not quote your individual out-of-pocket cost.

Use advocacy and fair-price review when a bill is difficult

Full Service advocacy and fair-price review offer help when medical charges need a closer look. If a bill is confusing, gather the itemized statement and ask the provider what each charge covers. SakeOf can review bills and provide negotiation support. For OhioHealth facilities, ask the hospital about its pricing and billing contacts, an estimate, or financial assistance.

An itemized bill is required for a SakeOf submission. It should include service dates, provider information, and CPT or HCPCS codes when available. SakeOf may also request medical records, clinical notes, billing records, or other documentation. Submit complete documents within six months of the service date, and send balance bills, denials, or payment demands within 10 days of receiving them. Keep any payment deadlines in view while you gather records.

Community help for eligible larger needs

For a larger eligible medical expense, the process can bring together bill verification, fair-price review, advocacy, and voluntary member-to-member community funding. The applicable member commitment and any feature-specific responsibility are part of the process. Keep your membership active, maintain a valid payment method, fund required asks, and contact SakeOf in advance about planned higher-cost care when reasonably possible.

Community funding is voluntary, and eligibility and review follow program rules, so it is best understood as a potential source of community help rather than a promised payment. Before planned care, gather estimates and ask how the provider will bill. Use the Savings Guide or contact SakeOf to understand what records and steps may apply to your situation.

Plan ahead for maternity and other selected options

Maternity has a continuous 12-month waiting period: pregnancy must begin after the waiting period is complete. Adding or restoring the option after conception does not make that pregnancy eligible. The newborn should be added to membership within 30 days of birth. Review the membership handbook for applicable limits and details, and contact SakeOf about planned care when reasonably possible.

Depending on selected features and current program rules, dental and vision discounts, chiropractic or acupuncture, physical or occupational therapy, and durable medical equipment may also be relevant. Check the calculator and feature information to see which options fit your membership. When a feature is inactive, its associated services, discounts, and eligibility are not included for that period; turning it on later does not make an earlier expense retroactively eligible.

Your next step can be simple: explore options in the calculator, search for a provider, or use the Savings Guide to prepare for a bill. If you are considering membership, compare the available choices and ask Jordan a question.