FOLIO
It’s no secret that the United States Healthcare System is broken. Despite the U.S. spending much more on healthcare than other high-income nations, the U.S. still scores poorly on health measurements like life expectancy, suicide rates and preventable hospital admissions, according to Harvard Health. The average cost of health insurance for an individual is a steep $450 a month and with less than 50% of businesses around the US providing healthcare to employees, many people are left to pull cash out of their own pockets, or worse, go without health insurance.
Direct Primary Care is a more affordable option for those looking for basic medical care. DPC is a newer model of healthcare, breaking onto the scene in the early 2000s in which patient/physician relationships have no middle man. Rather than dealing with insurance agencies, billing and collections, and extra staff, DPC patients have an unmediated relationship with the physician. DPC clinics also often have plans for small businesses wanting to provide some form of healthcare for employees but are unable to afford large insurance plans.
The Direct Primary Care model has many benefits for patients like more time spent with providers (often with a direct 24/7 phone line), upfront costs, smaller offices and smaller patient pools meaning a more personal relationship with the provider. Although most still encourage insurance for medical emergencies and special procedures, DPC clinics do not accept insurance as a form of payment.
Folio recently sat down with Dr. Jing Jing Cardona, a local provider in DPC, to really dive into why more people should look at changing to DPC. Watch our interview to learn more here
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