What is Direct Primary Care?
What is Direct Primary Care? – How SolidaritUS Health is Better Care
February 4, 2020
Direct Primary Care is Changing Healthcare
Direct primary care has increased in popularity over the years because patients are fed-up with not understanding what their health plans cover and the ever-increasing costs of care. Back when doctors still made house calls, you could pay your doctor directly. We are starting to see a shift, with direct primary care, to get back to that more personalized care experience.
Direct primary care is an arrangement between the patient and healthcare provider. It cuts out complicated insurance policies and procedures and allows patients uncomplicated access to care. You get access to a personal physician who can meet most of your healthcare needs whether you have insurance or not. Instead of paying co-pays or deductibles, direct primary care has no out-of-pocket costs, at all, because patients pay a monthly fee for quick and timely access to a host of medical services they can use at any time.
Direct Primary Care is Personalized Care
By only paying a monthly fee, there’s no need to worry if you cannot afford to go to the doctor for things like a cold, vaccinations, health advice and coaching, and chronic condition management. With SolidaritUS direct primary care you can also receive a variety of labs and prescriptions with no added cost.
You Get More Time
Wouldn’t it be nice to see your doctor when your appointment is, instead of waiting in the waiting room for hours? Direct primary care puts the care back into health care with increased time with your doctor. With SolidaritUS you’ll spend no time in the waiting room. Our smaller patient-to-doctor ratio means that you can always see your personal doctor when you come in and they will have time to focus on your needs, questions, and health goals.
There are better health outcomes when you can build a personal relationship with your doctor. When they have more time for you, they get to know you and personalize your treatment.
Doctors Get More Time
Direct primary care health centers seek to limit the number of patients under the care of each doctor, giving physicians more time to get to know and understand their patients’ health care needs and goals.
Primary care physicians in the mainstream fee-for-service insurance system typically look to maximize the number of billable patient appointments they can schedule each day. This means spending less and less time with each patient.
The average number of patients under each traditional primary care doctor’s care has ballooned to 3,000 to 4,000 patients per doctor.
SolidaritUS Health family physicians care for 1/4 to 1/3 as many patients – there are never more than 1,000 patients under the care of each SolidaritUS doctor. That “gift of time” enables physicians to get to know their patients, understand their individual care needs, and develop customized care plans that enable their patients to achieve their personal health goals.
Direct Primary Care isn’t Insurance
Direct primary care covers most common health care needs, but it will not cover advance care needs such as hospital visits, specialist care, and other items. At SolidaritUS, we clearly list all of the services included with enrollment as a member (see chart below). We also urge our members to seek insurance coverage to protect them against the high cost of specialist or hospital care that cannot be provided in a primary care clinical setting, in the event it is needed.
Another benefit of the SolidaritUS direct primary care model is that, unlike physicians in the mainstream fee-for-service insurance system, our doctors are partners, navigators, and advocates for their patients. When it is appropriate to refer patients out, our doctors are there to explain the options available to you, to help you understand the medical benefits and costs of each one, and to help you choose the best option for you.
| SolidaritUS Health Care Services Include: | |
| 24/7 access to care to get answers to your health care questions via phone or text and telemedicine. | |
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*See full details on our enrollment page.
Direct Primary Care Has No Deductibles
Many people currently have high-deductible health insurance plans through their employers. That deductible cost can be daunting. We think there should be no need for you to pay out-of-pocket to meet that deductible for things like check-ups or refilling a prescription.
By combining SolidaritUS health with your high-deductible plan, you can make sure you are covered no matter what you need, but more importantly, you won’t need to worry about your deductible to see your primary care doctor.
Benefits of Direct Primary Care
- No out-of-pocket or surprise costs
- Longer appointment times
- Shorter time in the waiting room
- Access to care when you need it
- Vaccinations, prescriptions, and labs with no added fees*
- You don’t need insurance to sign up
At the end of the day, you should make the healthcare decisions that make sense for you and your family! Direct primary care is a growing option because people truly love the experience of personalized healthcare. You may have more questions, and so we want to make sure we are available to answer them. Call us today!
If you’re ready to sign-up, you can enroll today here.