Frequently asked questions

We match people across Canada with licensed health professionals who have agreed to offer reduced fees. You tell us what kind of care you need and what you can afford; we introduce you to professionals who work within that budget. We are a matching service, not a clinic — we do not provide care, diagnose anything, or give medical advice.

No. It is free for patients, always. We are funded by a flat monthly subscription paid by the professionals listed with us. We never take a percentage of what you pay a professional, so nobody has an incentive to push you towards a more expensive option.

When you register you choose the type of professional you need, whether you want to be seen in person or online, and what you can afford per visit. Once you confirm your email address we introduce you to up to five professionals whose reduced fees fall within your budget. You get their contact details and they get yours, so either of you can make the first move.

The introductions are sent the moment you confirm your email address. How quickly a professional replies is up to them, though most respond within a day or two. If nobody on the site currently matches what you need and what you can pay, we will tell you that plainly rather than send you an unsuitable match, and a member of our team will follow up with you personally.

No. There is no obligation at any point. You can contact one, several or none of them, and you are free to stop at any time.

No. If you are having a medical emergency call 911. If you are in a mental-health crisis or thinking about harming yourself, call or text 9-8-8 at any hour. For health advice in Ontario you can also call Health Connect Ontario on 811.

Directly, between you and them, exactly as you would at any private clinic. Payment never goes through this site. Agree the fee with them before you book so there are no surprises.

Each professional sets the lowest fee they are willing to offer through AffordableHealth.ca, and we only introduce you to people whose floor is within your budget. It is a genuine reduction from their standard rate, not a discount on an inflated price. The exact fee for your situation is something to confirm with them directly.

Tell us your real number rather than one you think sounds acceptable — some professionals keep a small number of very low-fee places. It is also worth asking your family doctor about publicly funded options: Ontario Structured Psychotherapy provides free therapy for anxiety and depression, Community Health Centres offer free services including dietitians, and teaching clinics provide supervised student care at a fraction of private fees.

Often, at least in part. Extended health plans usually set an annual maximum per service, and most require the practitioner to hold a specific designation — which everyone listed here does. Two things worth doing before you book: ask your insurer what is left in your allowance this year, and ask the clinic whether they can bill your insurer directly.

Mostly not, which is why the site exists. No province covers private psychotherapy, chiropractic, massage therapy, naturopathy or dentistry, and most adults pay for their own eye exams. The exceptions follow a pattern: some funded physiotherapy for particular groups, eye exams for children and older adults, and family doctor visits always covered. The details differ by province, so check your own plan. Our cost guides explain what applies to each profession.

Before anyone appears on the site we check their registration against their regulatory College's public register — the College of Physiotherapists of Ontario, the CRPO, the RCDSO and so on — and we re-check on a schedule. We also ask for proof of professional liability insurance. A professional who has not been verified cannot be matched with anyone.

Osteopathic manual practice is not a regulated health profession in Ontario, so there is no government College register to search and the title is not legally protected. For those practitioners we verify membership of a recognised association instead, and we say plainly on their profile that the profession is unregulated so you can judge for yourself.

When we introduce you we share your name, email address, phone number if you gave one, your city, your budget, and the short description of what you need help with. We do not ask for and do not share medical records, diagnoses or health history. You control what goes in that description — keep it general.

Professionals can choose a basic listing, which publishes only their name, profession and location, or a full profile with photo, biography, credentials and reviews. Both receive the same matches. Patients are never listed publicly at all.

Yes. Email us and we will remove your account and the information attached to it. We will confirm once it is done.

A flat monthly or yearly subscription — never a commission, and never a fee per patient. The amount does not change with how many people you see. Current plans are shown on the pricing page, and the link is included in the email you receive when you apply.

Forty-five days after your credentials are approved, not when you apply. The free period starts on approval because you cannot be matched with anyone until you are verified. We email you before the first charge, and you can cancel at any point before it without paying anything.

Your College registration number, proof of registration, and proof of professional liability insurance. Government photo identification is optional — we confirm your registration against the public register rather than against your ID.

No. You receive the patient's details and decide whether to respond. You set the lowest fee you are willing to offer and we only introduce you to people within that range, so there should be no awkward conversations about money.

Yes, but each practitioner still registers and is verified individually against their own College registration — we cannot verify a business, only a person. When registering you can say which clinic you belong to, so colleagues at the same practice appear together.

Yes. When a professional you refer is verified, you get one free month and they get two months free. There is no limit on how many colleagues you can refer.