What is DPC?
Direct Primary Care is a growing healthcare model that offers patients an alternative to traditional fee-for-service medicine. In this model, patients pay a membership fee to have more personalized and convenient care. DPC practices have become increasingly popular in recent years, and it's not hard to see why. METSI Care, a leading provider of DPC services in Austin, TX, is dedicated to offering patients a higher level of care and convenience.
One of the main drivers of this change of mindset is the need of a Value-Based Care Model that incentivizes physicians to assist patients in reducing the effects of chronic illness and promote longterm Health & Wellness. In Direct Primary Care, doctors are able to work in the best interests of their patients, incentivized to keep them healthy and heal them from chronic disease. In the traditional insurance based model, doctors are faced with insurance bureaucracy and red tape that prevents them from providing the best care they would like to due to the insurance companies incentivized to maximize profit.
Let’s take a look at the benefits of Direct Primary Care and why it may be an excellent addition to your current health insurance.
What are the benefits of having Direct Primary Care services on top of my current Insurance plan?
Convenience is one of the main benefits of DPC. Patients can get same-day appointments and spend less time waiting in a doctor's office. With DPC, you have immediate and constant access to your physician, which means you can contact them by phone, or text at any time. This level of access ensures that you get the care you need when you need it, instead of waiting an average of 25 days for an appointment with traditional, insurance-based doctors.
Another benefit of DPC is the opportunity for a better patient-physician relationship. Insurance-based doctors have an average of 2500 patients, and they need to see 24 to 32 patients to be profitable. This means the average visit time is about 8 minutes. Since DPC physicians have fewer patients than the traditional model, they are able to spend more time (30 to 60 minutes) with each patient and provide more personalized care. This means you can have more meaningful conversations with your physician and build stronger rapport. Additionally, some Concierge doctors like METSI Care, offers home-visits included in their plans.
DPC offers a full range of care. Unlike traditional healthcare, which can be limited to certain specialties or procedures, DPC physicians can provide a broad range of services, including Preventive Care, Chronic Disease Management, and Mental Health Care. This means you can get 80-90% of your healthcare needs met by your primary care physician without having to see multiple specialists or navigate a complex healthcare system.
DPC doctors are not restricted by Insurance Companies
In their efforts to reduce costs and drive profits, Insurance companies often limit doctors' decisions and patients' choices, even when it goes against the patients' best interests. Insurance-based systems can discourage the use of screenings and testing, which, if done early, could prevent or mitigate the effects of major chronic illnesses including cancer. In a Value-Based Care Model like DPC, decisions are made with a focus on the patients' best interests and wishes.
With DPC, patients can access high-value testing and screenings, which allow them and their doctors to design personalized action plans to prevent illnesses before they occur. In contrast to traditional insurance-based care, which takes a reactive approach to treating illness, DPC offers a proactive approach where preventative measures are at the core of the model.
While traditional doctors are often bound by outdated practice guidelines, DPC offers practitioners the freedom to innovate, allowing patients access to cutting-edge, advanced testing. This new horizon of novel testing grants patients a holistic view of their health, encompassing every aspect of their health status. From DNA testing to micronutrient cellular testing, DPC practices only limit their recommendations based on what is in the patient's best interest.
Can I save money with DPC on top of my Insurance?
Although it may seem counterintuitive, DPC offers patients a great opportunity to save money on their daily health needs. The insurance model has been driving up practice and medication prices for years, leading people to pay more in out-of-pocket expenses. Traditionally, people would make a cost-benefit comparison between paying more premiums and less out-of-pocket costs and vice versa. However, in recent years, average out-of-pocket expenses have skyrocketed to more than $12,500 per year; over 20% more than 5 years ago.
DPC can save you out-of-pocket expenses in several ways. The first and most obvious way DPC reduces cost is by eliminating the cost of doctors visits and copays. Once you pay your membership, you have access to unlimited visits without copays. Another major cost driver is reduced by diminishing the need for urgent care, ER visits, specialist visits, and hospitalizations, as DPC can take care of 80 to 90% of your healthcare needs. For example, a visit for a urinary tract infection (UTI) can cost $200 to $300 at a UC service and $2200 at an ER; these types of visits are included in your DPC membership, meaning you can save $200 to $2200, per occurrence.
Medications and imaging studies (X-ray, CT, MRI, etc) are other major cost drivers for insured people. While insurance companies dictate which medications are prescribed, how they are dispensed, and how much you have to pay as a copay and coinsurance, DPC offers patients the freedom to choose where they get their medications. The same thing happens with imaging where people can access prices 5 to 10 times lower than the cost through their insurance plan, saving them 50 to 75% on their out-of-pocket expenses.
How can I access these services?
With METSI Care, you can enjoy immediate and constant access to your physician, little to no wait time to schedule an appointment, and more time with your physician to ensure that your healthcare needs are met. Whether you're looking for preventive care, chronic disease management, or mental health service, METSI Care offers a full range of services to help you live a healthy and fulfilling life. Discover the ultimate healthcare experience with METSI Care and see why it may be an excellent addition to your health insurance. Check our services at www.metsicare.com/services, and find a plan that is tailored for you.
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