dpc
NATIONAL BLOOD DONOR DAY
Direct Medical Care supports:
June 14th
“Each year, approximately 6.8 million people in the U.S donate blood. Annually, this adds up to about 13.6 million units of whole blood collected for donation in the U.S. The Red Cross provides about 40% of our nation’s blood and blood cell components to donors. Your blood donations are used for patients in need of surgery, cancer treatment and transfusions for blood loss from traumatic injuries.” (https://www.redcrossblood.org/)
Eligibility: In Missouri, people who are at least 17 years of age (or 16 years of age with signed American Red Cross parental or legal guardian consent form), weigh at least 110 pounds and are in good general health on the day of donation, are usually eligible to donate blood.
Jessica Whiteman, MSN,APRN, FNP-C
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
Go big RED!
February is American Heart Month
National wear red day is Friday, Feb 5th
Provider spotlight:
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
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
My Epiphany as a Doctor: Navigating Today’s Healthcare for My Own Family–Part 1
Giving up Traditional Health Insurance
I had blogged about them and had seriously considered them–cost sharing plans.
I resisted giving up my traditional health insurance because of the beauty of the triple tax savings with the Health Savings Account(HSA) that I married to my high deductible plan. I saw such value in that piece that I lost out on the bigger picture–saving money without sacrificing care.
What changed?
I paid for my daughter’s surgery out of pocket in 2016 when the cost for the negotiated insurance pricing was higher than actually just paying cash.
I saved almost $1200 by paying cash. Click to see the details in my previous blog.
AND
My traditional high deductible healthcare insurance plan I carried in 2016 was increasing from $820.00 per month to $2100.00 per month.
The plan was not only going up by $1280.00 per month but it offered less coverage and had a higher deductible.
The decision to move to the cost sharing plan was easy at this point. We chose to go with Liberty HealthShare
Our cost became $450.00 per month for our family of four and our out-of-pocket portion or unshared amount(deductible) became $1500.00 annually.
Ann Riggs, DO
Setting the Stage for my Next Blog Series…
My Epiphany as a Doctor: Navigating Today’s Healthcare for My Own Family…coming soon!
Ann Riggs, DO
Direct Medical Care 