Medical answering services, compared.
Live operators, automated menus and AI each suit a different practice. Here is who answers, what each provider publishes on price, how you start and what you sign.
Reviewed by Prasad Thammineni, Founder · Last checked October 31, 2026 · We sell Medman, so we have an interest. Facts come from each provider’s own site unless a row says otherwise.
Why practices start with Medman.
See the price before you talk to anyone
Plans are published, with a monthly base that includes minutes shared across the practice. Adding a provider does not change your plan.
See the plans →Up and running in minutes
Find your practice, pick a voice, get a number and make a test call. Forward your calls when you're ready, with no porting and no IT project.
Teach it as you go
Questions it couldn't answer are listed for your team. Add the answer once and it can use it next time, so it keeps getting better at your practice.
The full picture.
| Provider | Who answers | Price | How you start | Terms |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Medman | AI receptionist; it says so in the suggested greeting | Monthly base with minutes shared across the practice, whatever the number of providers; free plan with 15 AI minutes, paid from $29.99 a month | Self-serve, no demo; minutes to a test call | No card for Free; no annual contract; BAA before patient calls |
| notifyMD | Live virtual receptionists, 24/7 | $155 a month for 100 receptionist minutes, $1.36 per extra minute | Free trial offered; sales contact | Contract terms not published on the pages we read |
| PerfectServe | Live operators for urgent matters, with routing by your protocols; AI upgrade available | Says a typical practice pays $89–$119 a month per doctor; flat rate, no per-minute billing | Demo, then a team builds your call flows; one case study cites 30 days to live | 30-day risk-free trial; signed BAA before first call |
| On Call Central | Automated voice menu with no operators; calls are transcribed and sent to the on-call provider | $150 per 4 weeks for the first provider, $100 for each extra; $100 per provider setup | Self-service signup or demo; its team configures your call flows | Two weeks included after the setup fee; no contract |
| TeleMed | Live operators, 24/7, with English and Spanish lines | Quote only | Sales; up to 10 days for overnight service, up to 30 for appointment setting | Typically a 1 or 2 year contract |
| MedConnectUSA | Live US-based operators, 24/7, plus automated options | Custom rate plans; pricing on request | Setup in 24–48 hours | BAA provided; contract terms not published on the pages we read |
| WellReceived | Live receptionists on every call, English and Spanish | Prices shown after a contact form | Speak to its team, then customize call scripts | Says plans are flexible with no lock-in contract |
| Assort Health | AI voice agent, plus SMS and web chat | Not published on its site; per provider, as its sales team told us | Demo; says deployed in weeks with expert onboarding | Not published |
Each name opens a full comparison with sources. Prices and terms change, so confirm them with the provider. All names are trademarks of their owners.
The billing unit decides what growth costs you.
| Billing unit | What it means for your practice | Who uses it |
|---|---|---|
| Per provider | The bill grows with every doctor you add, whatever the call volume. | On Call Central and PerfectServe publish it; Assort Health and Prosper AI told us so |
| Per receptionist minute | You pay for each minute a person spends on your calls, and extra minutes cost more than the plan rate. | notifyMD |
| Per call, with or without a platform fee | The bill follows call volume, and a platform fee can sit on top. | Flexbone publishes it; Elion lists it for EliseAI |
| Monthly base with shared minutes | You pay one base that includes minutes for the whole practice. Adding a provider does not change your plan. | Medman |
When each one is the better choice.
- Choose notifyMD when you want live receptionists, and you value its HITRUST certification.
- Choose PerfectServe when on-call routing across several physicians and schedules is your main problem.
- Choose On Call Central when you want a flat per-provider rate, on-call scheduling and tiered escalation to providers.
- Choose TeleMed when you want a large live operator network and are comfortable with a contract.
- Choose MedConnectUSA when US-based live operators are a requirement.
- Choose WellReceived when you want a person on every call, and bilingual reception matters.
- Choose Assort Health when you want a demo-led rollout and are comfortable with quote-based pricing.
Choose Medman when
- You run a single practice or a multi-location specialty group and want to hear it before talking to anyone.
- After-hours calls now go to voicemail, and a marked morning list would help.
- You want a BAA and an EHR path without a sales cycle.
Where Medman may not fit
- It is AI. If you need a live operator on every call, choose a live service.
- It answers in English today.
Quick answers.
How much does a medical answering service cost?
Published prices on this page range from $89–$119 a month per doctor to $155 a month for 100 receptionist minutes. Several providers quote on request, so ask how hold time, extra minutes and setup are billed.
Do answering services charge per provider?
Many do. On Call Central and PerfectServe publish per-provider rates, and Assort Health’s sales team told us it bills per provider, so the bill grows with each doctor. Others bill receptionist minutes. Medman charges a monthly base with minutes shared across the practice, so adding a provider does not change your plan.
What is the difference between live, automated and AI answering?
Live services use human operators. Automated services use a voice menu and transcribe messages. AI services hold a conversation, answer from details you approve and can book with a connected EHR.
Does Medman work for multi-location specialty practices?
Yes. Medman serves multi-location specialty practices as well as single practices. Minutes are shared across the practice, so adding a provider does not change your plan.
Is an AI answering service HIPAA compliant?
It depends on the vendor. Ask for a signed Business Associate Agreement before any patient calls. Medman signs a BAA before any patient data moves.
Can we keep our number if we switch?
With Medman, yes: you forward your existing number when you are ready. Ask any other provider the same question before signing.
The quickest comparison is a test call.
Free to start, no card needed. Nothing changes on your current number until you forward it.