Monthly Fee Starts In December For Telehealth Services In Algonquin

ALGONQUIN, IL — The village of Algonquin has become the first community in Illinois to offer a new "Text A Physician" Telehealth program, village officials told Patch this past week.

"This is a new initiative for us, and Algonquin is the first community in Illinois to launch a service of this kind," Michael Kumbera, deputy village manager for Algonquin, told Patch. "In short, the program is designed to provide residents with quick access to licensed doctors via text or phone, and we believe it’s an important step in addressing everyday barriers to care."

The program is meant to address barriers identified in both the McHenry County and Kane County Community Health Assessments, which noted that residents face challenges accessing timely and affordable healthcare due to issues such as transportation, cost, and provider availability, according to a news release from the village of Algonquin.

By making telehealth services widely available, village officials in Algonquin are hoping to help residents overcome these obstacles and support better health outcomes.

The Village Board approved the program at a recent meeting. As part of that process, the village negotiated a free trial of the service for September and October 2025.

Beginning in December, households will see a clearly identified “telehealth services” line item on their utility bill—the monthly cost is$6 per household.

Participation is voluntary and residents who do not wish to take part may opt out at any time using the form available now at www.algonquin.org/telehealth. Those who opt out before the December billing cycle or within the first 30 days of being billed will not be charged or will receive a full credit if they have already been billed, according to the village of Algonquin news release.

After that period, charges will remain in place until a household opts out.

The $6 monthly charge is "not a tax," according to village officials. It is a user fee for the telehealth service, and it applies only to participating households and is entirely optional.

“This program represents an important step toward addressing barriers to healthcare in our community,” said Village President Debby Sosine. “By negotiating a free trial period, we are giving residents the chance to experience the service at no cost and decide for themselves whether it is a good fit for their household.”

For more information about the TAP telehealth program, including details on enrollment, the opt-out process, and frequently asked questions, please visit www.algonquin.org/telehealth or text 214-305-8513 during the free trial period.