Have you been frustrated with health insurance, and how it dictates who you can see and what you can receive for healthcare? Are you annoyed by how many doctors will only see you for 10 to 15 minutes at a time, and are constantly running behind schedule? You’re not alone! Many doctors actually feel those same frustrations. As a result, many of them are turning to a new method of practicing; it’s called Direct Primary Care.
Direct Primary Care (DPC) is a revolutionary model of healthcare that is designed by doctors to offer the best care possible to their patients. Under the Direct Primary Care model, the third-party insurance middleman is cut out, and the patient pays a monthly or annual fee directly to their doctor. This fee usually covers unlimited appointments, with certain lab tests fully covered, and others at a discount. Also, there are generally deep discounts or fully covered procedural costs and nutriceuticals and supplements at reduced cost as well. Through this model, doctors can minimize their overhead, and also the number of patients they see each day. This allows for longer appointments with each patient, and more personalized care. With Direct Primary Care, insurance companies can no longer dictate which providers patients can see, because insurance companies are no longer involved in the process of healthcare.
How does this work under the Affordable Care Act, when everyone is now required to have insurance or pay the penalty fee? Patients are still encouraged to purchase health insurance, but only for catastrophic and uncommon problems. This type of plan is generally more affordable, and is better suited to the overall purpose of insurance. Patients are then at risk for the amount of their deductible, but would be covered in the event of a long hospitalization.
The Direct Primary Care model of healthcare is fabulous for preventative medicine, as well as for treating patients with chronic health conditions. For roughly the same amount of money you put into insurance payments each month, you now have unrestricted access to your doctor and more personalized care, instead of insurance only paying for a certain number of visits to a specific provider, who will only see you for a short visit. With Direct Primary Care, not only can you see your physician for your routine annual exam, you can also typically schedule a same day or same week appointment for a sudden onset illness, or even multiple visits for more support in managing a chronic health condition.
Curious to know more? Contact me and we can start a conversation!