LegitScript Certification Consulting for Telehealth, Online Pharmacies & Regulated Healthcare

Richard Cha
Oct 24
3 min read

Updated: Oct 25

Why LegitScript Certification Matters

If you operate in a regulated or high-risk healthcare niche—telemedicine/telehealth, online pharmacy (incl. compounding/vet), addiction treatment, healthcare supply chain, eyewear/contact lenses, price-comparison/discount pharmacy—LegitScript certification is often a gatekeeper for two essentials:

Advertising on major platforms (Google, Meta/Instagram, etc.). Many healthcare advertisers must be LegitScript-certified before their campaigns are allowed. Google Help Transparency
Reliable payment processing with banks/processors that require additional compliance signals for healthcare merchants. LegitScript’s program is widely used to show ongoing compliance. LegitScript

VIRP: The Card-Network Backdrop You Need to Know

Visa’s Integrity Risk Program (VIRP) increased oversight and fees for certain high-risk categories in 2024. That includes a registration fee (commonly cited as rising to $950 per provider/per acquirer) and, for specific MCCs, a Visa Integrity Risk Fee of $0.10 per transaction + 10 basis points of processed volume. While not every healthcare merchant is in those MCCs, the trend is clear: stronger compliance expectations and higher scrutiny. Signature Payments CCBill Segpay

Takeaway: Being buttoned-up for LegitScript reduces friction with advertising and payments—and helps your underwriting go faster.

How Green Payment Solutions Helps You Get Certified (and Stay That Way)

We’re healthcare payments specialists. Our LegitScript Consulting Program guides you from “where do we start?” to “approved”—and then into a payment stack built for virtual care.

What we do

Readiness audit: Website and policy review mapped to LegitScript’s healthcare standards (content, disclosures, licensure, Rx workflows, disclaimers). LegitScript
Documentation playbook: Checklist for corporate docs, licenses, clinical credentials, ownership details, and SOPs; templates for patient policies (telemedicine, Rx, refunds, privacy, complaints). LegitScript
Application support: Hands-on help with the application package and responses to analyst inquiries to keep reviews moving. LegitScript
Advertising alignment: Prep for Google and Meta healthcare ad certification steps post-approval so campaigns launch cleanly. Google Help Transparency
Payments that fit telehealth: After certification, we implement interchange-plus pricing, next-day funding options, and EMR-friendly payment flows (APIs, hosted checkout, SMS/email pay links, recurring plans, card-on-file with consent).
Ongoing compliance: Quarterly site/policy tune-ups aligned to LegitScript monitoring and evolving ad-platform rules. LegitScript

Who Typically Needs LegitScript?

Telemedicine/Telehealth providers (including Rx-related services) LegitScript
Internet & compounding pharmacies (incl. veterinary) and healthcare marketplaces/supply chain businesses LegitScript
Addiction treatment facilities (inpatient/outpatient) and certain eyewear/contacts or price-comparison/discount pharmacy sites when advertising or processing at scale Google Help

MCC assignment varies by acquirer and business model, but many healthcare merchants rely on LegitScript to unlock ads and simplify underwriting. LegitScript

How Long Does It Take?

Timelines vary by application completeness, complexity, and responsiveness. Many healthcare merchants see several weeks to a few months from submission to decision; faster outcomes are possible when requirements are fully met and responses are prompt. (We help you stay organized and responsive.) LegitScript

What Does LegitScript Cost?

LegitScript publishes current pricing for its Healthcare Merchant Certification as a $975 one-time application fee plus a $2,150 annual fee per website (probationary pricing is higher when past compliance issues require extra monitoring). Always verify current fees on LegitScript’s site, and budget separately for any legal/consulting costs. LegitScript+1

Step-by-Step: Your Certification Path with Green Payment

Discovery call & readiness checklist (we map gaps and create the to-do plan).
Website & policy fixes (disclosures, licensure display, Rx/telemedicine flows). LegitScript
Application assembly (docs + questionnaire, with our QA). LegitScript
Submission & analyst Q&A (we help craft clear, complete responses). LegitScript
Approval & ad-platform certification (Google/Meta steps). Google Help Transparency
Payments go-live (interchange-plus pricing, next-day funding options, EMR-friendly integrations).
Monitoring & tune-ups (stay in good standing as rules evolve). LegitScript

Is LegitScript Worth It?

For most growth-minded healthcare merchants, yes:

Access to ads on Google/Meta in eligible regions. Google Help Transparency
Smoother underwriting and fewer surprises with banks/processors. LegitScript
Trust signal for patients and partners—proof you operate legally and transparently. LegitScript

FAQs

Do telemedicine providers really need certification?

If you’re advertising or running card-not-present payment flows at scale, certification is often required or strongly encouraged by platforms and card networks. LegitScript+1

Does LegitScript approve multiple sites at once?

Each website generally requires its own application and annual fee. Plan budgets and timelines accordingly. LegitScript

How does VIRP affect me?

Visa’s VIRP raised registration fees and added a $0.10 + 10 bps fee for certain MCCs; being certification-ready and compliant helps keep payment relationships stable. Signature Payments Segpay

Will Green Payment “guarantee” approval?

No one can guarantee approval. We prepare, QA, and shepherd your application to meet published standards and respond quickly to analyst questions. LegitScript

Ready to Get LegitScript-Ready?

Step 1: Request our LegitScript Readiness Checklist & Policy Template Pack

Step 2: Share your website(s) and current workflows

Step 3: We’ll outline a timeline, scope, and flat-fee consulting plan—and pair it with lower, transparent payment pricing and EMR-friendly integrations once you’re approved.