🇨🇦 Canadian based. Canadian owned. 🇨🇦
FAQs
About Livewell
What is Livewell?
Livewell is an end-to-end platform where you can get prescriptions for medications through an online visit with a licensed Canadian medical provider, and have your medication shipped to you on an automated refill schedule that works for you.
How does it work?
It’s simple! You create a Livewell account, complete your medical profile information, and answer a medical assessment specific to the type of prescription medication you are looking for. You will also have the chance to choose your refill schedule and shipping location during each visit. After you submit that information, a healthcare practitioner will review it and approve or deny your request based on your medical profile. If approved, we will send the prescription directly to our pharmacy partner and they will ship the medication to you, for free! You will then be charged and receive each refill, automatically, based on the schedule you chose, for the duration of your prescription.
Who can use Livewell?
Anyone that is 18 years or older (16+ for birth control prescriptions) and has a shipping address in Canada.
What provinces are you available in?
We are currently available in all Canadian provinces. We're working hard to be available across Canada, so stay tuned and sign up to our newsletter to be the first to know when we're available in your province or territory!
Is this safe?
Absolutely. All prescriptions obtained via Livewell are provided by licensed Canadian healthcare practitioners—the same as you would get at a hospital, doctor’s office, or clinic. These medical providers do not provide prescriptions unless they deem it medically safe and appropriate to write them based on your medical profile and assessment answers. Our assessments have been crafted by the specialists on our medical team. Finally, all medications delivered via Livewell are authorized for sale by Health Canada and filled by a registered pharmacist—the exact same medications as you would get at any pharmacy.
Is this legal?
Yes! In Canada, only a licensed healthcare practitioner can write a prescription, and only a registered pharmacist can fill that prescription. Livewell adheres strictly to all the regulations set forth by all applicable Colleges of Pharmacists and Colleges of Physicians in which we operate. All prescriptions obtained via Livewell are provided by licensed Canadian healthcare practitioners — and all medications delivered via Livewell are authorized for sale by Health Canada and filled by a registered pharmacist.
How It Works
Do I need to have a prescription to use Livewell?
No. In fact, the whole point is to get your prescription online, through Livewell. However, if you do have an active prescription with another pharmacy but want to take advantage of automatic refills shipped to your door for free, you can transfer your prescription to Livewell. Please email our Care Team at care@joinlivewell.ca and they will be able to assist you with the transfer.‍
Can I just get the medication and skip the online visit?
No. A prescription written by a licensed healthcare practitioner is required for all medication currently provided through Livewell’s service. If you already have the prescription, you can transfer it to Livewell. Please email our Care Team at care@joinlivewell.ca and they will be able to assist you with the transfer.‍
Do I need to complete my online visit at a scheduled time?
No. We use an asynchronous telemedicine model so you can complete your online visit in your own time and we save your progress so you can come back later to finish it.
How quickly will a healthcare practitioner review my online visit?
Your visit will be reviewed by a healthcare practitioner within 24-48 hours of submission. If you’ve been waiting longer than this, please email care@joinlivewell.ca and we’ll look into it.
How is my medication filled, shipped, and refilled?
Depending on which partner pharmacy you choose, this will be different. If you opt to go with a Livewell partner pharmacy, your medication will be shipped and refilled automatically. If you elect to send the prescription to your local pharmacy, we will fax the prescription to your pharmacy, and you can go pick it up in person.
Can I pick up my medication from my own pharmacy?
Absolutely. If you would prefer to pick up your medication from a pharmacy of your choice instead of using free shipping through the Livewell network, simply choose the “I prefer to pick up from my own pharmacy” option during the online visit and enter your pharmacy's contact information.
How do I apply for multiple treatments?
Once you’ve created your Livewell account and set up your patient profile, you can complete an online visit for any of the treatment categories using that same account.
I already have a prescription, can I transfer it to Livewell?
Yes, you are able to transfer your existing prescription to Livewell as long as you have at least one refill remaining for any of the medication categories offered via Livewell. Please contact our Care Team at care@joinlivewell.ca and they will be able to assist you. If you no longer have refills remaining, you are able to submit a new visit and our practitioners will be able to help you.
Do I need to complete the Online Visit if I am transferring my current prescription?
No! Since you have already been prescribed the medication by a doctor and are currently using it, all we need to do is change the pharmacy information. However, once your prescription runs out, you will then need to complete an Online Visit through Livewell to renew the prescription with one of our medical providers.
How do I renew my prescription?
Once your prescription is out of refills, you will be prompted to complete a follow-up consultation on your patient profile. You will need to answer a few questions and update your medical profile before submitting the request to your healthcare practitioner. Our medical team will then be able to review your file and write you a prescription renewal, if appropriate.
How much does a follow-up visit cost?
Follow-up visits start at $39 per consultation. Depending on the treatment you are receiving, they can be up to $99 per follow-up consultation.
My prescription expired, can I still renew it?
Yes, just head to your patient profile to complete your follow-up consultation.
How do I change my medication after it has been prescribed?
Changing medication does legally require a new prescription as the healthcare practitioner will need to both cancel the existing prescription as well as review a health assessment of yours in the context of this different drug. Please feel free to submit a new assessment and our team will be happy to assist in getting a new prescription for the different medication.
Am I guaranteed a prescription / treatment plan?
No, if the healthcare practitioner decides you're not suitable, a treatment plan will not be created for you. Just like your family doctor, we uphold the highest of Canadian medical and prescribing standards.
Pricing
How much is the online visit?
Livewell consultations start at $39 for the online visit, which will only be charged if you are deemed eligible for care by your healthcare practitioner.
How much is the medication?
It will depend on the medication you choose. You will see the estimated cost of your medication, per refill, during the online visit which includes the pharmacy fill fee. That cost doesn’t include any potential deductions from your insurance/benefits coverage (if applicable).
Why can’t I see medication prices on the website?
While it is illegal in Canada to display market pricing for prescription medication, you will be able to see the estimated cost of medication during the online visit. The price shown is an estimation and will vary if the healthcare practitioner prescribes you a different medication, or if you have insurance or benefits coverage. All estimated prices shown during the online visit include the pharmacy fill fee based on the refill schedule of your choice.
What is the pharmacy fill fee?
Every pharmacy charges a dispensing fee for filling prescriptions. Think of it as a service fee for knowledge and service provided by the pharmacist. If you get your medication through Livewell, our pharmacy is still required to charge a fill fee and that fee is included in the price of medication that we display. A $12.99 fill fee is charged for each drug, every time you get a refill.
Insurance and Benefits Coverage
Is the medication covered by my insurance or provincial health plans?
Medication coverage varies greatly between different plans, provinces, and has specific criteria that determine eligibility. We recommend that you upload your private and/or provincial benefit card during the online visit so that our pharmacy partner can apply any coverage you are eligible for before shipping your meds. For private insurance, we also recommend you check your plan manual to better understand how much coverage you have.
Is birth control covered by OHIP in Ontario?
As of April 1st, 2019, OHIP+ covers some birth control for all women in Ontario under 25 years old that do not have private insurance. Make sure to upload your OHIP card during your online visit so that the pharmacy can apply your coverage.
I didn’t have insurance when I first got my prescription, but now I have it. What do I do?
Go to your patient profile Insurance, you can add or update the insurance information on your Livewell account.
I uploaded my insurance information during my online visit but still see a cost for the medication in my profile.
The coverage you are eligible for will not be deducted until the pharmacy processes your refill, so the price you see in your profile is the estimated maximum medication cost before benefits. Once the pharmacy ships your meds, the actual cost will be displayed for the respective refill.
My insurance provider needs a physician to fill out a form before they will cover my medication costs. Can this be done through Livewell?
Yes – Please email our Care Team at care@joinlivewell.ca to make a request and attach all applicable forms from your insurance provider.
I forgot to upload my insurance information before my first fill was charged. What can I do now?
You will find the official receipt for your medication costs within your package from the pharmacy. This receipt can be used to submit a manual claim directly to your insurance/benefits provider. Future refills will be direct-billed directly to your insurance provider, once you have uploaded your insurance information from the Insurance tab of your account.‍
Payments & Refunds
When am I charged?
You will be charged for the online visit as soon as it is approved by the healthcare practitioner. From there, and after your prescription is activated by the pharmacy, you will be charged the medication cost for each shipment based on your chosen refill schedule. If you have insurance or benefits coverage, it will be applied according to your plan.
How do I change my credit card information?
Go to your patient profile under Billing. You can update the credit card details on your Livewell account.
Why do I see a transaction on my credit card for my denied online visit?
When you submit an online visit, we pre-authorize your credit card for the amount of the visit. When your visit is denied, we will then release that pre-authorization, however, it can take up to 3 business days for your bank to update your statement to reflect that.
What charges on my bank statement can I expect?
The charge on your bank statement will appear as "Livewell Technologies".
What payment methods are accepted?
We support all Visa, MasterCard and Amex cards.
What is Livewell's returns policy?
Unfortunately, we do not accept returns. This is why: Our pharmacy partners follow a strict code of professional practice, they are under obligation to ensure that medicines that customers receive have been produced and stored under strict conditions. As such, no returns are possible, as in case of a return it is not possible to confirm if medicines have been stored properly or have not been tampered with. That being said, you can cancel your subscription any time and if your products have not yet shipped, we will issue a refund.
Is Livewell a subscription service?
We do have automatic billing and shipping schedules by default, but you can pause or refill your orders at any time.
Treatment Plans & Orders
Where can I learn more about side effect risks?
After your medical consultation, you will be informed of the potential risks of your treatment plan before you purchase. After you purchase, this information is available via your profile page, and the pharmacy will enclose a hard-copy of the drug information pamphlet sheet in the shipment.
What should I do if I am experiencing a side effect?
If you believe you have a medical emergency please contact local emergency services by calling 911. If you believe you are experiencing a side effect, please stop taking the medication and contact your GP. Please also contact our Care Team at care@joinlivewell.ca. We will notify the health practitioner who has issued the prescription and they will also be able to recommend an appropriate course of action.
Can I refill early if I run out?
You can trigger an early refill at any time as long as you have refills left, via your patient profile.
What if I want to delay my next order?
You can delay your next order via your patient profile.
What if I need to pause or cancel my treatment plan?
You can pause at any time via your profile. This places it on hold and you will not be charged. Livewell has no lock-in contracts.
Can I increase my dosage?
That's up to your healthcare practitioner. Please contact us at care@joinlivewell.ca and we will pass on the question to the healthcare practitioner who originally provided your consultation.
What can I do if the results aren't what I expected?
Contact us at care@joinlivewell.ca - follow-ups are free and we’d be more than happy to put you back in touch with your healthcare practitioner to discuss alternatives.
Shipping
When is my medication shipped?
Status updates for your prescription will appear in your patient profile. You’ll be able to see if your prescription is being processed by our pharmacists or if it’s en route for delivery.‍
How long does it take?
It generally takes up to 1 day for the pharmacy to fulfil an order and it is sent from there. You'll get an email or SMS with a Canada Post tracking link once your order ships. As we have partner pharmacies all over Canada, delivery time can vary, around 2-3 days at most.
What does Livewell charge for shipping?
Shipping is 100% free Canada wide.
What courier do you use for shipping?
Our pharmacy partner currently ships the medication via Canada Post.
Can I track my order?
Yep – we ship with Canada Post, and you'll get a link with your tracking number the second it leaves the pharmacy. If your order is being sent our refrigerated delivery service, you'll receive an SMS with your tracking link before your delivery
Do I have to be home to receive my package?
In most cases no, but a signature upon delivery may be required.
What happens if there is nobody home for the delivery?
If there is no safe place to leave your package, or it requires signature but no one is available, your package will be available at the closest post office for pick up. Usually, packages are available for up to 5 days after the first attempted delivery. If you don’t pick up your package within the allotted time, it will be returned to the sender, which may cause a further delay in your delivery.
How many days do I have to notify you of an undelivered or lost package, or damaged medication?
You have 14 days from the date your tracking link was sent to notify us of an undelivered or lost package, or damaged medication.
What do I do if my package was returned to Livewell?
We’ll contact you via email if your package is returned to us! Your meds will be destroyed 1 month after your fill date should you fail to respond to our Care Team.
How can I change my shipping address?
You can update your shipping details from your profile page. Changes must be made 48 hours prior to your next scheduled refill date. Any last minute change should be communicated to our Care Team (care@joinlivewell.ca) so that we can attempt to update this prior to your refill being shipped.
What can I expect the packaging to look like?
Our packaging is super discreet and simple – all medications are sent in a plain post bag.
I am moving from one province to another, what should I do?
Please update your shipping address within your Livewell account under the Shipping tab as soon as possible. Changes must be made 48 hours prior to your next scheduled refill date. You will also then be required to reach out to our Care Team (via care@joinlivewell.ca or our live chat option on our homepage) to inform us of this change so that your prescription can be faxed from one pharmacy branch to another.
Telehealth
What does your medical team do?
Our medical team help oversee each of our health categories to ensure our medical assessments are thorough, safe, personalized, and on-par with the best that in-person care can offer. Our pharmacists work with us to provide best-in-class service and support.
Who are the health practitioners that will be reviewing my online visit?
They are all licensed, real Canadian healthcare practitioners! All online visits submitted via Livewell are reviewed by them and they must be licensed in your province to prescribe you the medication. It is these healthcare practitioners, and not Livewell, who determine whether or not to write you a prescription, as well as the appropriate dosage (where applicable).
Does Livewell replace my doctor?
No. Livewell provides a faster, hassle-free way for you to get a prescription to certain medications but our service does not replace your doctor or nurse practitioner. For matters that extend beyond obtaining a prescription safely and easily, we encourage you to consult your primary health practitioner in person — whether for checkups, personal health concerns, or to inform them about the medications you are currently using.
Do I need to talk to a healthcare practitioner?
One of the many benefits of our service is that you don’t always have to, per se, talk to the healthcare practitioner. We use a model where all the relevant information needed by them is asked during the online visit, through a medical assessment questionnaire, so you don’t have to connect with them in person. But, if the practitioner has additional questions after you submit your online visit, they will connect with you via our secure messaging portal, which means you can answer their questions at your own pace, and ask some of your own. However, if you prefer to speak to a doctor in person about your needs, we encourage you to book an appointment with your primary care practitioner or a specialist as Livewell might not be the right fit for you.
I’ve been using the prescribed medication but have some questions regarding side effects. What should I do?
For any medical-related questions, we strongly recommend that you speak to the prescribing healthcare practitioner directly as they know what’s best for your health. You can do so by going to your Livewell account and messaging the practitioner for that specific prescription.
It's an emergency. What do I do?
Call 911 or proceed to your nearest emergency room immediately. Livewell is not intended for medical emergencies.
What health issues can Livewell help with?
Currently, Livewell can connect you with a healthcare practitioner for treatment for birth control and acne. We’re always working to offer more services, so if you have a request, please let us know at care@joinlivewell.ca!
Is telehealth legal in Canada?
Yes, telehealth is legal in Canada, and is changing healthcare for the better. Livewell is a Canadian technology platform that connects you to healthcare practitioners and pharmacists via telehealth. You know all those forms that you fill out when you get to the GP? And all those questions that a healthcare practitioner asks you when you sit down? All of them are now done online, at a time that suits you, and then passed to a health practitioner for assessment.
Privacy
Is my information private and secure?
Yes, your security is paramount to Livewell’s mission. Personal health information provided during your medical assessment is strictly and legally confidential between you and the Livewell healthcare practitioner. Beyond that, all your account information (including the medical assessment, credit card, and shipping information, etc.) is also stored safely and securely. Livewell is compliant with The Personal Health Information Protection Act (PHIPA) and the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA). It is our duty to protect your data with comprehensive security infrastructure and stringent data policies to ensure it stays private and secure. Read more on our Privacy Policy.
Is your packaging discreet?
Absolutely. All Livewell shipments arrive in a nondescript package so you can have your medication shipped wherever makes sense for you.
Can I have my medical records with Livewell shared with my primary care provider?
Yes! We can fax the record of your online visit with Livewell directly to your family doctor. Please send a request message to your prescribing health practitioner via your patient profile.
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