What is Direct Primary Care?

Direct Primary Care(DPC) involves cutting out the middle man–insurance companies. As health insurance becomes increasingly confusing, expensive, and frustrating, Direct Primary Care removes it from the equation.

At Direct Medical Care, you have the option of obtaining a membership, which includes the cost of provider visits along with other perks. However, a membership is not required, and you can pay for waht you need as you go.

With this type of healthcare in place you should expect:

• To spend more time with your healthcare provider as they are spending less time filling and billing for insurance
• Affordable wholesale medications, labs, imaging, and procedures
• Transparent pricing
• Accessibility and convenience such as same day appointments, virtual visits, and so much more
• Flexibility! You still have the option to submit to insurance. We will provide you the necessary information at the end of your visit to do so.

Melanie Shockley, DNP

Patient-Driven Affordable Healthcare

Go big RED!

February is American Heart Month

National wear red day is Friday, Feb 5th

Provider spotlight:

Patient-Driven Affordable Healthcare

Fuel with Fiber!

All of us have been told to add fiber in our diet. This is because there are so many health benefits and most Americans only get about half of the recommended fiber per day. Lets breakdown the details of fiber and why it is an essential part of our diet.

What is Fiber?

· It is a type of carbohydrate. Don’t panic! Most carbs are broken down into sugars, which we associate with diabetes and being bad for our health. Fiber cannot be broken down into sugar and instead has a positive effect on our body!

Some Benefits of Fiber:

· Reduces the risk of heart disease and diabetes.

· Lowers cholesterol.

· Helps prevent constipation.

· Aids with weight loss.

How much do we need?

· Approximately 25-35 grams/day.

A nutrition label explaining Fiber.

What are good sources of fiber?

• Whole grains, fruits and vegetables, beans, legumes, nuts, and seeds.

Tips to increase Fiber in your diet:

• Skip fruit juices and eat whole fruits instead!
• Substitute white rice, bread, flour, and pasta for whole grain alternatives.
• Add fiber slowly into your diet and it’s very important to increase water intake as you increase fiber.
• Still need help getting fiber in your diet? There are over the counter fiber supplements that come in variety of forms.

Fiber can be an easy addition to your diet to help meet your healthcare goals this 2021!

Melanie Shockley, DNP

Patient-Driven Affordable Healthcare

Pink Isn’t the Only Color

Cervical Cancer Awareness is this month.

Direct Medical Care’s newest nurse practitioner, Jessica Whiteman, addresses what you need to know:

Patient-Driven Affordable Healthcare

COVID-19 Preparation

When the pandemic hit in early spring, I commented that you should assume you will get the coronavirus. It is not a matter of if you get the virus, but when you will get it. If you happen to not get it, count yourself lucky.

So what have you been doing the last six months to prepare? I am not talking about wearing a mask. I am not talking about staying six feet apart. I am talking about what have you done to better your health to better prepare your body to fight the coronavirus?

What should you have been doing these past six months to prepare?

• Eating Healthy
• Achieving/Maintaining a Healthy Weight
• Getting Good Sleep
• Exercising
• Managing Stress
• Managing Medical Issues
• Building your Immune System–zinc, vitamin C, vitamin D, elderberry

If you have not engaged in your health there is no better time to start–not just for the coronavirus but for life.

Ann Riggs, DO

Patient-Driven Affordable Healthcare

My Epiphany as a Doctor: Navigating Today’s Healthcare for My Own Family–Part 3(VIDEO)

Mind-Blowing Healthcare Savings–$$$$

My Epiphany as a Doctor: Navigating Today’s Healthcare for My Own Family–Part 2(VIDEO)

When the Doctor’s Family Needs Medical Care

My Epiphany as a Doctor: Navigating Today’s Healthcare for My Own Family–Part 1(VIDEO)

Giving Up Traditional Insurance

My Epiphany as a Doctor: Navigating Today’s Healthcare for My Own Family–Part 3

Mind-Blowing Healthcare Savings–$$$$

My traditional high deductible healthcare insurance plan I carried in 2016 was increasing from $820.00 per month to $2100.00 per month with an even higher deductible.

I was looking at an annual premium cost of $25,200.00

Year One(2017)

When we made the transition to the cost sharing program with Liberty HealthShare in 2017 it made sense as long as we were healthy.  The cost savings were profound.  We opted for their top coverage:  Liberty Complete

With the Liberty HealthShare option we chose we have an annual registration fee of $75.00 and pay $449.00/month for our family of four.

I was now looking at an annual “premium” of $5,463.00

Now we had a few medical bills in 2017:

• an MRI for my husband’s shoulder $240.00
• a screening mammogram for me $200.00
• remember I am a family practitioner so some minor coughs/colds etc. would be handled by me that we will account for $500.00

Our general out-of-pocket expenses for the year were around $940.00.  Let’s round that number up for a few other incidentals and we are at $1000.00 for the year.

So our first year savings came out to almost $19,000.00

Year Two(2018)

So year two brings on a different twist as we have a medical need arise.  Craig’s MRI and poor response to conservative therapy leads to major surgery.  We researched our options and chose the Surgery Center of Oklahoma.

Our annual “premium” is still $5,463.00

Craig’s Surgery and Rehabilitation Costs:

• Surgical Consultation:  $200.00
• Surgery Center of Oklahoma:  $5,749.00*
• Continuous Passive Motion(CPM) Chair:  $775.00
• Physical Therapy: $540.00

*includes surgeon fee, facility fee, and anesthesia fee

Liberty HealthShare Shared Amounts(reimbursements):

• Surgical Consultation:  $200
• Surgery Center of Oklahoma:  $4,249.00
• CPM Chair:  $0
• Physical Therapy:  $0

Our final unshared(out-of-pocket) amount we were responsible for was only $2,815.00

So in two years after leaving traditional health insurance we will have saved about $35,000 with a major event occurring

If I still haven’t convinced you…

Now let’s go back to the traditional insurance world…the national average projected cost for arthroscopic shoulder surgery with one of the major insurance carriers in the United States is:

• Facility and Anesthesia Fee:  $16,150.00*
• Surgeon fee:  $8,985.00
• Total:  $25,135.00

*based on outpatient surgery, national average for inpatient surgery increases that fee by $11,000

In contrast the fair pricing found with the Healthcare Bluebook

Why didn’t I leave traditional insurance sooner?!?!?!?!?!

This is true healthcare reform with patient-driven affordable healthcare.

 

Ann Riggs, DO

Patient-Driven Affordable Healthcare

 

 

My Epiphany as a Doctor: Navigating Today’s Healthcare for My Own Family–Part 2

When the Doctor’s Family Needs Medical Care

My husband Craig had been complaining about his right shoulder hurting the summer of 2017.  To be the spouse of a doctor can be challenging because getting my attention medically can be tough at home.

We had tried conservative care with ice and ibuprofen for months.  We tried cold laser therapy. We even tried steroid injections with minimal relief.  He had significantly modified his activities due to the pain. 

The final straw:  he could no longer play catch with his daughters.

We got an MRI of his shoulder scheduled.  Our cash pricing through our Midwest Direct Primary Care Alliance was $240.00 cash at a local free-standing imaging clinic.

The MRI revealed no full thickness tear of the rotator cuff but there was a partial tear with joint effusion and chronic tendinosis and tendinopathy.

I consulted an orthopedic specialist online through Rubicon MD who recommended surgical evaluation over continued conservative care.

An online referral was started with the Surgery Center of Oklahoma.

In January 2018 Craig was set-up for a surgical consult late Thursday afternoon with anticipated surgery the following Friday morning in Oklahoma City.  We braved the typical January weather from KC to OKC.

After reviewing Craig’s case, the anesthesiologists/owners of the Surgery Center of Oklahoma hand-picked Dr. Couppens as the surgeon.  This former US Olympic team doctor met with Craig and modified the surgical plans with him given the magnitude of adhesive capsulitis(aka frozen shoulder) that had developed.
The next morning we arrived bright and early for surgery.  While Craig was being attended to I got to enjoy the company of Dr. Keith Smith and Dr. Steven Lantier the masterminds behind the Surgery Center of Oklahoma and the pioneers in the movement for price transparency.

The surgery was deemed a success and we drove home later that day.  The road to recovery included lots of rehabilitation over the next several months and we are now happy to report Craig is once again playing catch with his daughters.

 

Ann Riggs, DO

Patient-Driven Affordable Healthcare