Direct Primary Care (DPC) has grown over the last decade as a more cost-effective healthcare alternative to the insurance model. It takes a little rethinking and a leap of faith, especially if you have always had health insurance, but it comes with many advantages – for employers, patients, and clinics alike.
How is DPC a good alternative?
Cost Savings
Employers can save significantly on healthcare costs by paying fixed monthly fees for their employees, which are generally lower than traditional health insurance premiums. Increases of premiums are less frequent compared to traditional health insurance.
Improved Access to Care
Employees have increased access to healthcare services, including same-day or next-day office appointments, email consultations, phone calls, and video conferences. This convenience can reduce the time employees spend away from work, leading to better productivity.
Better Health Outcomes
With DPC, employees see a personal, concierge-like physician who provides preventive care and manages chronic diseases more effectively. This can lead to better health outcomes and lower overall healthcare costs for the employer, and also significantly reduces the times an employee spends at Urgent Care.
Simplified Claims Management
DPC eliminates the need for third-party billing and insurance companies, making healthcare claims easier to manage for employers, employees, and the provider clinics.
Enhanced Employee Satisfaction
Employees don’t have to cover co-pays for office visits. This not only saves them money, it can also improve employee satisfaction and morale, as they have more control over their health and their spending.
But what about unforeseen emergency room visits?
While DPC does not cover emergency room visits, having a DPC plan can significantly reduce their need. According to the Society of Actuaries report, DPC members experienced approximately 40% fewer ER visits than those in traditional plans, and a 53.6% reduction in ER claims cost (Source: SOA).
Employers also have the option to pair DPC with a High-Deductible Health Plan (HDHP) and/or Health Savings Account (HSA) for complete coverage (see “Additional Health Coverage”).
What Sets Vital Edge Health Apart?
Vital Edge Health is a network of integrative health clinics. Integrative healthcare combines conventional medical treatments with complementary and alternative therapies to address the whole person—mind, body, and spirit. This approach emphasizes a collaborative relationship between the patient and healthcare provider, fostering trust, communication, and shared decision-making. Integrative health practitioners may use a variety of therapies, including dietary changes, exercise, stress management techniques, and alternative therapies such as acupuncture, yoga, and meditation. Patients are encouraged to be active participants in their health and healing process, which requires a higher level of commitment and discipline.
Allopathic medicine, also known as conventional or mainstream medicine, primarily focuses on treating diseases and their symptoms using pharmaceuticals, surgeries, and other conventional medical interventions. It aims to provide precise diagnoses and treatments, often leading to quick symptom relief. However, allopathic medicine tends to treat patients more as passive recipients of care, with less emphasis on patient involvement in the decision-making process.
The founders of Vital Edge Health, Sandra and McClane Duncan, became frustrated with the state of our healthcare system and wanted to build something that helped patients actually get better – not just cover up symptoms – while being affordable. With Direct Primary Care, they found a perfect fit and have been successfully practicing it for over ten years with their clinic Siskiyou Vital Medicine. With their wish to bring this healthcare model to more people, the Vital Edge Health network was born and is now improving the lives of patients, employers and clinics alike, truly revolutionizing healthcare in the United States.
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