Health

4 Reasons Why

YOU SHOULD CONSIDER DIRECT PRIMARY CARE

Written by Nikki Parquette MPAS, PA-C

If you haven’t heard of Direct Primary Care (DPC),

you’re likely missing out. DPC is an innovative healthcare and payment model where patients pay their provider directly for a defined set of primary care services. Different from the typical fee-for-service insurance billing model, patients pay a low membership fee to have unlimited access to their primary healthcare provider; no more deductibles or copays for routine healthcare!

It’s like Netflix for healthcare: you pay a monthly fee and binge when you need it. But instead of your favorite shows, you pay a subscription to cover primary care services such as preventative health visits, clinical and laboratory services, acute care visits, care coordination, and comprehensive care management. But what are the real perks to having a direct primary care provider? I am so glad you asked…

Price Transparency

It is very uncommon to know the precise cost of a health care service or appointment BEFORE it happens. That’s why the price transparency you get with DPC is so great! You pay a flat rate for primary health services and with the simplified cost structure, you know exactly how much it costs to receive the services your provider offers. Budgeting for other health care expenses such as advanced imaging, or surgeries becomes easier and a lot of stress built up from going to the doctor vanishes. Some DPC providers will even make recommendations on tools to help you shop for the best price on your labs, medications and imaging.

No Insurance? No Problem!

Whether you have traditional health insurance or not, it doesn’t matter to the DPC clinic. Since DPC doesn’t bill

your insurance for primary care services, direct primary care is an affordable way to get quality care despite insurance status. That makes DPC great for people without insurance, cost share participants, and those with high- deductible and high out-of-pocket health insurance plans. Some employers will even offer to pay for a DPC as an alternative to health insurance. In any case, you can still save money and have a better health care experience by using a direct primary care provider. Remember, health insurance doesn’t equal health care.

More time with your provider

One of the best benefits of direct primary care is that providers have a lot more time to spend with their patients. With less paperwork and insurance issues, DPC providers can look you in the eye while you talk, get to know you as a person, and help you get to the bottom of the problem. In most practices, the initial appointment can last an hour or more. It’s also common for DPC’s to use online communications platforms which make it easy and fast to ask your provider questions or get their advice.

Better Health

We’re all guilty of ignoring pain or putting off making an appointment because of expense or we don’t want to navigate through some horribly automated phone maze to get on the schedule. Since you pay monthly, quarterly, or annually for a direct primary care provider, there is no excuse to not get the care you need, when you need it. Typically, DPC’s are available through virtual options, which means you can review your medical issue with your provider and get a treatment course over text. Your provider can also recommend coming in for an appointment or even go see a specialist.

Everyone is used to the traditional healthcare system: no price transparency, having high priced health insurance, and overloaded providers which can lead to decreased health. There are solutions to this broken system including Direct Primary Care, and in our area, we have several DPC providers to choose from. Now, it’s about selecting which provider fits with your goals, personality and lifestyle. w

--------------------------------------------------------------------------Nikki Parquette is the founder, CEO and provider of Spear Direct Care in Hayden, Idaho.

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