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DPC and the Underserved
As a cost-reducing model, DPC intuitively helps those who have a hard time affording care in the current model; yet to many who are involved in healthcare policy, the idea of paying the physician directly sounds like an added cost to patients and detrimental to a group often collectively called “the poor” or "the underprivileged". Within this group, there are a few subgroups to identify to help show how DPC can be beneficial to "the underprivileged".
HEAVY UTILIZERS - Patients requiring frequent visits
- Decreased need for a more costly "low deductible" plan
- Decreased costs for multiple medication regimes
- Longer visits at more frequent intervals
- The DPC physician acts as one central advocate to help coordinate their specialist and hospital needs.
- More engagement in their treatment plan due to having a stronger physician-patient relationship
- Decreased anxiety because they can easily reach their physician who knows their history
- Fewer referrals compared to fee for service referral mill practices
WORKING CLASS - patients that cannot afford insurance and do not qualify for government subsidies or safety net insurance.
- These patients ignore health problems often for years because it is so expensive for them to get routine monitoring.
- Chronic disease monitoring and preventive health monitoring at an affordable price tends to lead to fewer complications with better disease control and decreased ER visits
- DPC allows these patients the freedom to see their doctor before small problems become complicated
GOVERNMENT INSURANCE - Medicare, Tricare, and Medicaid eligible patients
- Many physicians do not accept Medicaid patients due to poor reimbursement. These patients have coverage but may not be getting the best CARE, especially with long wait times, 5-minute visits, and only partial coverage services.
- Medicare patients often join your practice for the increased access and longer visits with more detail to their care.
UNINSURED/UNDOCUMENTED
- Many DPC physicians waive their fees or set up private charity funds to help care for those who cannot afford the monthly fees
- Most physicians went into medicine to help people and have large philanthropic hearts. DPC allows you to do what you think is the right thing for your patients, giving you back control over how you live your life and practice medicine.
- Caveat: Learn to differentiate those patients who really need your help from those who can afford it but do not respect the membership or you enough to pay a reasonable monthly fee. Set your boundaries, and stick to them.
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DPC and the Underserved
As a cost-reducing model, DPC intuitively helps those who have a hard time affording care in the current model; yet to many who are involved in healthcare policy, the idea of paying the physician directly sounds like an added cost to patients and detrimental to a group often collectively called “the poor” or "the underprivileged". Within this group, there are a few subgroups to identify to help show how DPC can be beneficial to "the underprivileged".
HEAVY UTILIZERS - Patients requiring frequent visits
- Decreased need for a more costly "low deductible" plan
- Decreased costs for multiple medication regimes
- Longer visits at more frequent intervals
- The DPC physician acts as one central advocate to help coordinate their specialist and hospital needs.
- More engagement in their treatment plan due to having a stronger physician-patient relationship
- Decreased anxiety because they can easily reach their physician who knows their history
- Fewer referrals compared to fee for service referral mill practices
WORKING CLASS - patients that cannot afford insurance and do not qualify for government subsidies or safety net insurance.
- These patients ignore health problems often for years because it is so expensive for them to get routine monitoring.
- Chronic disease monitoring and preventive health monitoring at an affordable price tends to lead to fewer complications with better disease control and decreased ER visits
- DPC allows these patients the freedom to see their doctor before small problems become complicated
GOVERNMENT INSURANCE - Medicare, Tricare, and Medicaid eligible patients
- Many physicians do not accept Medicaid patients due to poor reimbursement. These patients have coverage but may not be getting the best CARE, especially with long wait times, 5-minute visits, and only partial coverage services.
- Medicare patients often join your practice for the increased access and longer visits with more detail to their care.
UNINSURED/UNDOCUMENTED
- Many DPC physicians waive their fees or set up private charity funds to help care for those who cannot afford the monthly fees
- Most physicians went into medicine to help people and have large philanthropic hearts. DPC allows you to do what you think is the right thing for your patients, giving you back control over how you live your life and practice medicine.
- Caveat: Learn to differentiate those patients who really need your help from those who can afford it but do not respect the membership or you enough to pay a reasonable monthly fee. Set your boundaries, and stick to them.