Redefine HealthCare

The traditional form of concierge medicine involves the patient paying a monthly or annual fee in exchange for direct access to a physician. While the practice profits from these membership fees, they also bill insurance companies for visits. Concierge practices often charge higher fees – in the ballpark of $185 per month.

Another key distinction between the two is that direct primary care is explicitly mentioned in the Affordable Care Act as an acceptable option for receiving medical care without insurance, while concierge medicine is not.

Before 1940, health insurance the way we know it today did not exist – people paid for their health care like they did anything else. Health insurance was formed as an incentive to get soldiers back into the workforce after WWII ended.  Its sole purpose was to provide coverage for costly events like major accidents, surgery and long-term chronic issues.  Health insurance was never intended to pay for basic medical care.  In the present day, health insurance is used for everything medical, which is part of the reason why it is so costly.

We understand health insurance is a critical element in the health care of Americans for catastrophic, unpredictable events and it is something we all must have now, and our service is not a replacement for health insurance.  It does, however, create significant and costly problems when it is used as a payment system for primary care services.

When health insurance claims are filed routinely, health insurance premiums rise as we have steadily and sharply seen for the last 15 years. The only logical way to decrease or control insurance premiums is to reduce the frequency of claim filing. In order to do this, some portion of health care needs to be affordable enough to render health insurance unnecessary.  Thankfully, “not all healthcare is expensive”.  When you remove the driver of expense (health insurance) the real cost of a test or medication is revealed and is very often easily afforded.

Unfortunately, having health insurance does not mean having access to quality, affordable healthcare.  In fact, health insurance is often the very thing that makes getting what you really need take the longest (and most costly).

Redefine HealthCare prides itself on bringing back the “old fashion” way of doing things…we build trusting, long lasting relationships with patients while providing personalized, timely, quality care.

We encourage patients to maintain a high deductible wrap around plan in case of emergencies such as hospitalizations or surgeries, or other life-threatening situations. However, for routine cases like physicals, labs, medicines or most other minor emergency situations, the Direct Care subscription fee covers nearly everything and can be handled in-house the majority of the time.

No. Happily, no. Perhaps the most critical distinction in our model of care centers on a direct, personal relationship between you and your provider. That directness carries over to our business model as well. While the tender mercies of an insurance company might apply to the fixing of a damaged fender on your automobile, we see no reason for any insurer to have a voice about either the quality or the cost of your family’s care.

We forgo insurance payments in order to save our patients from the arbitrary, intrusive decisions that inevitably follow with third-party payers. Furthermore, this direct fee-for-services arrangement frees us from the typical contractual agreements that prevent physicians from offering wholesale prices on laboratory tests, imaging, and medications.

Your membership covers many in-office procedures and unlimited office visits in exchange for a small monthly fee. It is a way of receiving more personalized and preventative health care services at a cheaper price than going through a traditional insurance plan.

We don’t accept insurance.  As a result, Most of our patients save money. As patient of Redefine HC, we can help you find the combination of healthcare and health insurance that saves you money and results in better quality service.

The average amount of face time you get with a provider in a traditional setting is about 8 minutes.  Unfortunately, this has become 'the norm'.  Direct Primary Care allows us to see patients when we want and however long we want.  If you forget to ask a question when you leave, text or call us.  It's that simple.

Problems often referred to an urgent care or ER (i.e.: laceration repairs, setting of simple fractures) can be addressed in office, saving our patients hundreds, even thousands of dollars.

We have secured affordable pricing for services such as labs and X-rays.  We offer medications at a fraction of the cost.  How?  Insurance does not dictate the price you pay. We do.  Our prices are your prices.  Period.

Reducing the number of patients we accept results in significantly more time spent with patients (the average primary care doctor sees upwards of 2500 patients, averaging only 8 minutes of face time per visit).  Hence, we can understand patients better and manage more complex problems.

There is no bad time. Because we are paid for care, not for procedures, we can use phone consults, email, video, and other technology much more extensively. This gives us more of a connection with patients and faster response when we’re needed. Today, many providers resist phone and email consults with patients partly because insurance reimbursement for these encounters is much less than for an office visit.  We do not spend time jumping through hoops with insurance companies.   We focus on treating patients. With less time spent on administrative duties, we can provide care that’s more personal and convenient than in other practices.Easy access is a powerful tool to surface health problems early and head-off ER visits, many of which occur only because the primary care provider is not available.

You value quality, personalized care.

Time is of the essence for all of us.  We strive to give you the time you need when you need it - no rushing, no 8-minute visits due to time limitations, no waiting in a waiting room full of people.  We also acknowledge the convenience and ease of being able to text, call or email when the time is right for you.  DPC allows us to prioritize and maximize the focus where it needs to be - on the patient.

You have a high deductible insurance plan.

More often than not, people are choosing high-deductible plans due to ever-increasing insurance premiums.  While this makes having health insurance more affordable, it often prevents policyholders from seeing their provider as often as they should.   Out of pocket costs for office visits/procedures and the dreaded bill that comes later usually deters people from making appointments. This makes having a high-deductible insurance plan more of an “emergency plan”, which is how insurance was supposed to work, however, it doesn’t solve the problem of keeping people healthy.

Regular office visits to address the small health complaints before they turn into emergent conditions is vitally important. Additionally, insurance doesn’t reliably cover visits that are focused on prevention, such as alcohol/tobacco cessation, weight loss, and dietary counseling.

You are uninsured.

While the Affordable Care Act mandates that everyone should purchase a health insurance plan, it doesn’t always make if affordable, even with a high-deductible plan. For some, paying the annual penalty for not having health insurance is the only option they can afford financially. While a DPC plan is not an alternative to health insurance and does not constitute health insurance as far as the ACA is concerned, it may be an affordable way to get the non-emergent care you need.