Insurance Health Insurance

Sidecar Health Insurance Review [2025]: Is It Better Than Traditional Health Insurance?

Sidecar Health offers an alternative to traditional health insurance with no networks and no surprise charges.

By Danielle Letenyei

Edited by Yahia Barakah, CEPF

Updated Dec. 12, 2025

Sidecar Health is a health insurance provider that aims to offer an alternative to traditional health insurance plans. The company states that it puts the patient in the driver's seat of their care and provides transparency to medical service costs.

Sidecar Health gives its members fixed prices for medical treatment, procedures, and prescriptions. When you see a doctor, you get the predetermined amount for the health service you receive, regardless of the actual cost at the doctor's office. In some cases, you may pay more out of pocket. In other cases, you receive a portion of the savings.

Sidecar Health can be a great and simple option for health insurance coverage. However, it may not fit everyone's needs, and its availability is limited to the employees of companies based in Ohio, Florida, and Georgia. Let's go into the details in this Sidecar Health insurance review.

Quick Summary

Sidecar Health Benefits

Offers flexibility on the provider you visit
Get money back when your healthcare services cost less than the benefit amount

Visit Sidecar Health

In this Sidecar Health review

Sidecar Health: Is it worth it?
What is Sidecar Health?
How does Sidecar Health work?
What insurance does Sidecar Health offer?
How to get an insurance quote from Sidecar Health
How to maximize your savings with Sidecar Health
Sidecar Health FAQs
Bottom line

Sidecar Health: Is it worth it?


Pros	Cons
No medical coinsurance payments after reaching your deductible Enables you to use any health care provider since it doesn't use networks Visit any pharmacy for prescriptions No prior authorization or referrals required	Must be employed at a company that offers Sidecar Health Only available at companies in three states May need to contact your doctors for their "cash price" to compare to your benefit amount Must submit an itemized invoice to Sidecar Health

What is Sidecar Health?

Sidecar Health Insurance Solutions, LLC. was founded in 2018 by two California entrepreneurs, Patrick Quigley and Veronica Osetinsky, who wanted to bring more transparency to medical care costs. The company initially began offering its health insurance in Texas in 2019 and for years offered fixed indemnity health insurance.

However, the company now only offers employer-sponsored covered through ACA-compliant major medical plans and operates in a limited number of states. Unlike many traditional medical insurance plans, Sidecar Health does not have a network of providers. Members may seek care from any provider, and after their deductible is met, they will only pay charges in excess of the assigned benefit amount.


Type of insurance offered	Major medical insurance
What is covered	Medically necessary care and prescriptions from the provider of your choice
Eligible age	No maximum
Availability	Florida, Georgia, and Ohio
	Visit Sidecar Health

How does Sidecar Health work?

Although Sidecar Health no longer offers fixed indemnity plans, its health coverage model is still similar to that setup.

A fixed indemnity plan is a plan where the insurer pays a fixed price per service, regardless of the actual cost of the service. Sidecar Health does the same thing, but is a major medical insurance provider. The amount Sidecar Health will pay for a covered service or prescription is called the "Benefit Amount." This number is based on the average cost of care for that particular procedure, test, or drug in your geographic region.

The benefit amount will be applied to your deductible until you meet it. Once you've met your deductible, the benefit amount will be paid to you to cover your care. If your care ends up costing more than the benefit amount, you will be responsible for paying the excess. This is called balance billing. If your bill is less than the benefit amount, Sidecar Health will share a portion of the savings with you.

For example, Sidecar Health's average cash price for an annual physical exam in the U.S. is $397. If your provider charges $450, you will have to pay the $53 difference out-of-pocket. If your provider only charges $350, a portion of the $47 savings will be credited back to your Sidecar Health account. Your employer can then pay out your savings at the end of the plan year, or you can use the money on future health expenses.

Sidecar Health states that, based on data from June 2024 to 2025, most claims result in members earning money back.

Sidecar Health encourages members to call providers about direct-pay and cash-pay discounts before receiving care. Many medical providers offer significant discounts to patients who self-pay rather than use insurance, and with Sidecar Health you use your own money to pay the provider for care. Sidecar Health then reimburses you the benefit amount for the medical care you received.

Tip

As a Sidecar Health member, you can find out how much your plan pays for a procedure or test before you go to the doctor through the company's member portal. This portal can be accessed through the website on your computer or mobile phone.

What access do you get to health care professionals?

As a Sidecar Health member, you aren't limited to in-network health care providers. You can go to any doctor you choose because Sidecar Health doesn't use a network system.

Sidecar Health gives you information about the rates different doctors charge for certain services. This allows you to shop around for the best cost that fits your budget.

For example, say you live in Ohio and suspect you've broken your arm. The total cost of a broken arm in the U.S. is $663 on average. That includes a doctor visit, x-rays, and broken bone repair. In Ohio, though, that cash price drops to $638. If you don't already have providers in mind, Sidecar Health gives you options and estimates of what different providers charge for care. However, you should always confirm pricing with the provider's office directly before making an appointment.

How does the doctor visit work with Sidecar Health?

At your appointment, you can pay your doctor directly using a payment method of your choice. The payment method you use is charged 100% of the visit cost.

After your visit, you must notify Sidecar Health of your claim within 30 days and submit an itemized medical invoice using the Sidecar Health member portal within 90 days. Sidecar Health reviews this invoice and credits you the benefit amount for covered services.

Because Sidecar Health uses a fixed pricing system for each health care service, the benefit amount could be lower or higher than the visit cost. If the benefit amount is lower, you must pay the difference within 30 days of receiving notice of the balance from Sidecar Health. You keep part of the difference if the benefit amount is higher.

For example, Sidecar Health gives you a $44 benefit amount to see a chiropractor. If your visit costs $59, your out-of-pocket cost is $15 after Sidecar Health pays you. However, if the visit only costs you $34, then you get your visit fully covered and have a savings of $10. Sidecar Health states that in a year, a typical family of four gets $1,094 back through this process.

However, Sidecar Health only covers medically necessary services and may request your medical records to determine necessity.

Sidecar Health states members will not owe more than their deductible for covered services when experiencing a medical emergency. Members are not responsible for surprise bills from emergency room visits or unplanned events during scheduled service.

What is the Sidecar Health VISA benefit card?

After you enroll in Sidecar Health and activate your account, Sidecar Health will ship you a welcome kit that includes your Sidecar Health VISA benefit card. This card can be used to pay your medical provider, but it isn't required.

The Sidecar Health VISA benefit card acts like a debit card. You link it to one of your bank accounts, a credit card, or debit card and the cost of your medical care is charged to or withdrawn from that account.

The Sidecar Health VISA benefit card has a maximum limit of $2,500 for medical procedures and $750 for the pharmacy. You need to call Sidecar Health ahead of time if you need to authorize a larger payment.

When you use the card, the charges made are considered an estimated benefit amount. After you submit an itemized medical invoice to Sidecar Health, the final benefit amount will be determined. You'll pay the difference if your medical bill is greater than the final approved benefit amount. On the other hand, if the final benefit amount is more than your bill, you'll keep the difference.

Using the benefit card for a covered service counts as providing notice of a claim, but it does not exempt you from submitting an itemized invoice. You can submit an invoice through the Sidecar Health Portal or by mail.

How to maximize your savings with Sidecar Health

Sidecar Health may save you money on health care because medical providers often offer discounted prices for people who self-pay compared with the prices offered through a health insurance plan. If that self-pay charge is lower than the benefit amount offered by Sidecar Health, then you get part of the difference back.

Sidecar Health calculates its benefit amounts using region-specific data. The set benefit amounts allow members to access approximately 50% of providers in their region without balance billing.

Members who have met their deductible can choose a "pre-checked provider" to ensure they pay $0.

If you can't find a provider that will accept the benefit amount or less as full payment, Sidecar Health offers provider location assistance. Depending on the circumstances, coverage of the charges or a travel benefit to access a provider may be offered.

Sidecar recommends contacting your provider before your appointment to ask about the exact cash price a self-pay patient will pay to ensure you benefit from the reduced cost.

Preventative care, like immunizations and routine screenings, aren't subject to your deductible. So if you choose a provider that offers services at or below the benefit amount for that type of care, you won't have to pay any out-of-pocket costs even if you haven't reached your deductible.

Sidecar Health states that 93% of claims it processed between January and September 2025 cost the insured nothing, earned them cash back, or had a cost greater than the benefit amount that was still lower than a typical copay.

Sidecar Health FAQs

Where is Sidecar Health insurance available?

Sidecar Health Plans are available in 3 states. These states are Florida, Georgia, and Ohio.

Who is behind Sidecar Health?

Sidecar Health underwrites its own fully insured employer sponsored health plans as Sidecar Health Insurance Company, Inc.

How long after using the Sidecar Health card should I upload an itemized receipt?

You have 90 days after receiving covered services to upload an itemized invoice. You must also provide notice of a claim within 30 days. You can avoid extra effort by uploading your invoice within 30 days because that is one way to give notice of a claim.

You can request an itemized invoice, also called a superbill, from your provider. The receipt should include:

Patient name
Provider name and National Provider Identifier (NPI) number
Date of service
Amount charged for each service
CPT codes for services
Reason for the services, including ICD-10 diagnosis codes

For prescription drugs include:

Drug name, form, strength, and dosage
National drug code (NDC)
Patient name
Prescriber name
Pharmacy name and address
Fill date
Amount charged per prescription

Bottom line

The idea of receiving quality, affordable health care without the hassle is an attractive one.

Sidecar Health promises no surprises when it comes to your health care cost by offering transparency of costs and benefit amounts. Members can also get significant discounts on medical services when they self-pay providers.

If your current preferred providers are on the pricier side and their bills would consistently exceed Sidecar Health's calculated benefit amount, this might not be the right choice for you. But if you appreciate the flexibility of choosing any provider, and may even be open to trying someone new to get money back, you could earn great savings.