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South Carolina state employees to get high tech free health solution

Virtual Urgent Care allows users to access health care with smart phone, computers

CHARLESTON, S.C. — South Carolina state employees and their dependents covered by the South Carolina Public Employee Benefit Authority (PEBA) will soon have a free benefit that will give them access to SC-based telehealth experts 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year.

PEBA and the Medical University of South Carolina announced an agreement that will improve healthcare access and reduce health costs through the free MUSC Health Virtual Urgent Care online care service.

Under the direction of Ed O’Bryan, M.D., MUSC Health Virtual Urgent Care offers an easy-to-use online virtual care service to the nearly 550,000 PEBA-member employees and their dependents, allowing them to see and communicate with an MUSC provider from the comfort of work, home or on the go, without having to travel to a clinic and regardless of where they may live.

“PEBA covers approximately 10% of the state’s population in the State Health Plan. Part of our core mission is to provide affordable and accessible health care to public employees and their families,” said Peggy Boykin, PEBA executive director. “We appreciate the opportunity to collaborate with MUSC to provide our members additional access to quality and convenient health care through the MUSC Health Virtual Urgent Care and at no cost to members.”

Employees can access care via www.musc.care in the way they like best, including online questionnaires, phone calls, video visits or by texts, and are able to choose their own pharmacies when prescriptions are needed. Wait times to speak with providers average about four minutes and most visits take less than 15 minutes to complete. No appointment is necessary. The online-care platform works on all devices and all browsers except Internet Explorer, and data lines are secure and HIPAA compliant. A hotline for questions and concerns is available 24/7 by dialing 843-261-5940.

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