We Support DPC and Want Everyone To Learn About It
If you've never heard of Direct Primary Care (DPC), it's worth exploring! It serves as the perfect example of how the healthcare system can improve.
Direct Primary Care Overview
What is it?
Direct Primary Care was started by a few physicians around 2010 who decided to stop accepting insurance and take back the doctor-patient relationship. Instead they charge patients a monthly membership fee similar to a gym. This gives their patients access to their services without any additional costs. A DPC provider is typically managing patient panel size of about 500 as compared to the traditional system where primary care providers are managing 3,000+ patients. It's simple, provides better access, longer appointment times, no claims, resulting in better quality healthcare.
Next Level Primary Care
DPC involves a doctor-patient centric relationship without insurance, claims, billing, or third parties. The patient's relationship is solely with the provider (who is also the business owner). By minimizing overhead costs and reducing third-party profit margins, this care model leads to a more affordable healthcare system that benefits both providers and patients - a win-win situation. With the addition of same-day appointments and 30-45 minute appointments on average, this care model becomes a winning formula for achieving better healthcare results.
Who is DPC for?
DPC is the perfect solution or a family or small business looking for a higher level of care and attention from their primary care provider. Businesses can essentially hire their own company doctor and families can get access like they have never had with traditional primary care. It may seem like an expensive proposition, but combined with a Rethink DPC membership it can be significantly more cost effective than a traditional plan.
Traditional Primary Care (what we are used to)
The state of healthcare today is anything but pretty when we look at the status quo. Appointments are difficult to get, and then on the day of the appointment we feel rushed, we don't get the time we need to speak with our doctor, and we end up paying more than we expect. It's standard to see our doctor (if we see them at all) for an average of 6-8 minutes. In that short time, their services can be compared to adding charges to a restaurant bill that keep accumulating. Except, we get a bill in the mail several weeks, if not months, later and pay more than we expected for services that we do not even remember receiving. Does this sound familiar? We can do better!
Scheduling Appointments With A DPC
Much more convenient than our traditional system, same-day appointments are the standard. Virtual appointments and text messaging with your provider are also part of the model to make your healthcare even more convenient. Best of all, since you'll have a personalized relationship with your doctor (without an insurance company, claims or third party involvement), care is incredibly efficient. Members can often get to the core of the appointment without completing expensive testing and lab work which is standard and time consuming in traditional healthcare.
Pair With a Rethink Healthcare Membership
Our Rethink DPC membership is designed to complement any Direct Primary Care membership. A Rethink Healthcare membership paired with a DPC membership is usually about half the cost of a high deductible insurance premium. Our membership picks up where DPC leaves off and fills in the gaps. Once you leave your DPC office, you will have the support that you need to navigate healthcare without a network. You will have a safeguard with healthsharing for unexpected medical events that may require hospitalization, surgery, prescription, or rehabilitation services. We even offer the added bonus of an annual rebate to help you keep your DPC membership in place.