Medical Debt in America
When half of Americans carry medical debt that cumulatively sums up to $140 billion, it’s no surprise that any run-in with the healthcare system invokes the fear of financial ruin. Although many systemic failures are attributed to causing exorbitant hospital prices, there is potential in the form of primary care where patients could be delivered more price transparency, more time with their doctor and most importantly, lower costs.
What is Primary Care?
Primary care is like the skin of the medical industry. It’s the first line of defense against illness that, when utilized properly, prevents infection from wreaking far more havoc inside our bodies. However, in healthcare, we’ve effectively chosen to remove our skin and let the immune system fight threats at its full force. That takes a demanding toll on our bodies that requires much more treatment and, as everyone knows, more treatment means bills.
Although large-scale reform to lower healthcare pricing is necessary, it would take years or decades to make an impact. What we can do now is show American citizens the importance of primary care. Imagine if you can get your workforce screened and referred to specialists early. In that case, the doctors’ jobs will be to prevent or manage a condition instead of treating it with complicated and expensive interventions. Taking early initiatives in your health is a long-term investment that will not only give you a healthier life but an enormous discount on your healthcare expenses.
How Much Do ER Visits Cost?
The average ER visit costs $2,032. The cost of emergency room care is 12 times more expensive than the average primary care charge ($167). You might think that makes sense because emergency rooms deal with more complex and probably more expensive cases, but studies show that might not be the case. The UnitedHealth Group reports that ⅔ of emergency department visits were deemed avoidable, meaning they could have handled them in a primary care setting. However, when patients elect not to see their primary care physician, one of their only options left is the emergency room, which is terrible from a financial perspective.
The Importance of Preventive Health Care
One study involving over 10,000 patients found that those who had a primary care provider saved 33% on their healthcare costs compared to those who preferred to consult with specialists. While the entire country is pressed on fixing healthcare, many people overlook and ignore the most widespread type of healthcare that exists in America. And doing so costs them thousands of dollars.
Beyond the financial superiority of primary care, it’s reasonable to think that it might provide better health outcomes as well. If you’re having issues with a chronic illness, who do you think can speak more appropriately to your best interests? The physician at the emergency department (who’s likely out of network), or the primary care provider who has continuity of care and studied your condition from the lens of your body for years?
Many people might still be disincentivized to seek out primary care. After all, being proactive about your health can be expensive if you want tests that the typical insurance company might not cover. Fortunately, a potential solution called direct primary care (DPC), or Direct Contracting in the business world, has revolutionized healthcare.
Direct Contracting
With Direct Contracting, payment is made directly to the physician. Physicians who run their own primary care clinics can negotiate a payment system that works for employers without insurance companies intruding. With a flat monthly subscription, your people get access to a physician, testing, and lab panels. This allows them to spend more time with the doctor talking about health and gives them access to treat injuries and chronic conditions.
According to the Direct Primary Care Coalition, people with DPC plans had 40% fewer ER visits compared to those with only traditional insurance and reduced their total ER claims by 53.6%. Besides these significant savings, several DPC clinics also provide more convenience. Several physicians offer telemedicine to visit patients to see how they can best help virtually.
Imagine your employee rolled their ankle and can’t walk. You probably don’t need to get them lifesaving treatment, but you’d still like to get them to get it checked out. Normally, they would have to drive and walk to get to a provider, much to the irritation of their poor ankle and the time lost from work. With the virtual visits that our clinics offer, they could schedule a visit with the doc from home. They could then look at the ankle using the phone or laptop’s camera and tell your worker whether ice or surgery is the recommended treatment within 30 minutes of rolling his or her ankle. We can also provide an onsite clinic.
The biggest obstacle to primary care is its accessibility. More autonomy means less hassle from insurance providers compared to a hospital setting, which means more lower-cost options for American citizens who desperately seek a reliable source of healthcare.
At Direct Med Clinic, we value the time of both patients and doctors; people have busy lives. We also value good quality healthcare that isn’t wrapped up in the bureaucracy of insurance. That’s why we have our own solution called Direct Contracting. You can speak to our Membership Manager to contract directly with us today.
Recent Comments