Role of Direct Primary Care in Healthcare Equality [How Affordable and convenient care isn’t just a tagline]

It’s no secret that health and wealth are directly correlated. Studies show low-income adults are nearly five times more likely to report being in fair or poor health than adults with family incomes at, or above, 400 percent of the federal poverty level (FPL). In 2020, the FPL for a family of four was $26,200. Low-income American adults also have higher rates of heart disease, diabetes, stroke, and other chronic disorders than wealthier Americans. They are also more than three times as likely to have activity limitations due to chronic illness. Limited access to medical care, being uninsured or underinsured, financial barriers, and systemic biases are but a few of the reasons for the lack of healthcare equality in the U.S. Here we’ll examine how we got here as well as one affordable solution to the problem.

Lack of Access to Care

Most impoverished neighborhoods lack reliable access to high-quality healthcare. Big providers want to make big money, so they go to areas where they feel they have the best opportunity to make that happen.

Because of reduced access to care and reduced affordability, low-income patients are less likely to receive recommended healthcare services, such as cancer screenings, annual physicals, and immunizations. Many take for granted that these essential services could mean the difference between life and death for those in lower-income brackets.

High Deductibles

Even before a global pandemic, many businesses faced financial challenges that made it difficult, or nearly impossible, to offer health benefits. Many opted for high deductible health plans (HDHPs) that are cheaper to provide employees with but fail to cover essential healthcare costs to shield their bottom lines from constantly increasing premiums and health claims.

When offered, HDHPs are a popular option for low-income Americans because of their lower monthly premiums. However, when employees are offered a HDHP, they may not be able to afford the monthly premiums meaning they opt out of coverage. If employees can afford the premiums and enroll in the HDHP, the deductible is often unaffordable leading to healthcare avoidance and the lack of a primary care presence to provide essential medical guidance. In 2017, 40 percent of Americans with employer-sponsored health insurance had plans with deductibles over $1,500 for individuals or more than $3,000 for a family. With 50 percent of Americans reporting they have less than $400 on hand for emergencies, those numbers don’t add up.

The Solution

Uninsured populations often live within impoverished neighborhoods. With quality providers unwilling to service those neighborhoods or provide care at an affordable rate, what can be done to help Americans struggling to survive?

One answer may be simple. Direct Primary Care (DPC) is not new, but current events have made it an even more vital component of the American healthcare system. Doctors love DPC because they don’t have to conform to insurance mandates to limit appointment times or worry about intense billing practices. Being able to spend the time necessary to address a patient’s needs is critical to building a relationship of mutual respect and trust while providing proper care.

DPC is a Crowd Favorite

Considering that 80% of healthcare services people need annually can be addressed with a family physician,1 employers love Direct Primary Care’s (DPC) no-claims environment. Instead of paying monthly premiums and insurance claims after an employee receives primary care, their employees can enroll in a monthly DPC healthcare membership for a low monthly fee. With a nationwide DPC provider like Healthcare2U, employers with multiple locations can provide the same quality of primary care to employees across every state.

Employees love the convenience and affordability of direct primary care. Most DPC plans offer primary care visits, telemedicine, or virtual visits for little to no out-of-pocket costs. And because members can use a direct primary care membership in conjunction with HDHPs and other healthcare products, families get the coverage they need, starting with day-to-day care.

Benefits brokers are implementing DPC strategies for satisfied clients nationwide. If you’d like more information on how DPC can help end disparities in healthcare, contact Healthcare2U.

1 Andrew Bazemore, MD, MPH, Stephen Petterson, PhD, Lars E. Peterson, MD, PhD, Richard Bruno, MD, MPH, Yoonkyung Chung, PhD, Robert L. Phillips Jr, MD, MSPH, “Annals of Family Medicine: Higher Primary Care Physician Continuity is Associated With Lower Costs and Hospitalizations,” 2018, 493

Healthcare2U Partners with Bay Bridge Administrators to Provide Diverse Healthcare Options to Employer Groups, Nationwide

Partnership Provides Employer Groups of All Sizes Access to Affordable Healthcare Options that Deliver Robust Benefits to Employees While Reducing Healthcare Expenses

November 12, 2020 (Austin, TX) – Healthcare2U, the nation’s largest membership-based, hybrid direct primary care (DPC) organization, announces today their partnership with Bay Bridge Administrators (BBA) a full-service, nationally recognized, third-party administrator. This partnership will further extend Healthcare2U’s Direct Primary Care services to brokers looking for nationwide healthcare solutions that provide real value to their clients and help combat the 5% premium increase expected for employer groups in 2021.1

Healthcare2U and BBA’s partnership has created two nationwide products, a small group bundle that provides unlimited primary medical care for employees of microbusinesses and a Minimum Essential Coverage plan with an optional Rx plan, that can service small to large employer groups. Each plan features Healthcare2U’s Direct Primary Care membership, providing a patient navigation department that educates employees on their DPC membership and available overlying coverage options. DPC benefits include unlimited access to primary medical care services such as acute care in the form of in-office visits for $10 per visit, urgent care visits for $25 per visit, and 24/7/365 bilingual Virtual DPC for $0 out-of-pocket cost to members. This DPC membership also includes an annual physical with four basic labs and provides unlimited access to board-certified family medicine physicians for the treatment and management of 13 prevalent chronic disease states for $10 a visit.

Nationally, healthcare strategies for 2021 include placing more focus on primary care initiatives and aligning healthcare options with workforce strategy2. By providing unlimited virtual and in-person primary care to employees nationwide, employers can attract and maintain their workforce, whether it is a local office or a nation-wide operation. By keeping costs low and keeping healthcare affordable and convenient through direct primary care (DPC), employers encourage their employees to access benefits before health concerns become serious and result in missed work or shock claims down the road.

“Events in 2020 upended the nation’s healthcare system and economy. Employers are struggling to prepare for 2021 knowing that health insurance premiums will rise, and they will have to shift more health expenses to employees,3 increasing deductibles and healthcare avoidance,” says Andy Bonner, CEO and founder of Healthcare2U. “It’s time for employers to strategize the delivery of healthcare to their workforce. We are proud to partner with Bay Bridge Administrators to offer products that include nationwide unlimited primary care for employers of all sizes. For example, by combining our specialties we take an ACA compliance play and create something that brings healthcare equality to employees who need it most.”

BBA MEC Proposal Download

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About Healthcare2U:
Healthcare2U is a membership-based, integrated direct primary care (DPC) organization that ensures employers of all sizes and structures have nationwide access to affordable, consistent, and quality primary care over 40% below the average cost of traditional DPC practices operating in the market today. Through our proprietary Private Physician Network (PPN)™, Healthcare2U promotes healthy living by detecting, treating, and managing acute and chronic conditions before the onset of serious illness. Healthcare2U is headquartered in Austin, Texas, and is available nationwide. For more information, visit www.healthc2u.com.

©2020 HEALTHCARE2U, LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. HEALTHCARE2U AND THE HEALTHCARE2U LOGO ARE TRADEMARKS OF HEALTHCARE2U, LLC IN THE UNITED STATES AND OTHER JURISDICTIONS. ALL OTHER MARKS REFERENCED ARE THOSE OF THEIR RESPECTIVE OWNERS.
Sources

1. US News – https://money.usnews.com/money/personal-finance/family-finance/articles/what-to-expect-from-your-employers-health-plan-in-2021
2. SHRM – https://www.shrm.org/resourcesandtools/hr-topics/benefits/pages/employers-project-health-plan-cost-rise-for-2021.aspx
3. SHRM – https://www.shrm.org/ResourcesAndTools/hr-topics/benefits/Pages/moderate-cost-increases-projected-for-health-benefits-in-2021.aspx

Direct Primary Care (DPC) Keeps Families Healthy at Minimal Cost

The misconception among many is that one can’t have access to quality primary care unless he has insurance. However, in the age of direct primary care, that no longer has to be the case.

DPC Keeps Families Healthy at Minimal Cost

You’ve been given the opportunity to enroll in a Healthcare2U direct primary care (or DPC) membership. This exciting healthcare membership was designed with you and your family in mind. DPC prioritizes affordable and convenient access to primary medical care – because staying healthy and saving money don’t have to be mutually exclusive. In this short video, you’ll learn how direct primary care can help you and your loved ones stay healthy, affordably.

Primary Care is the Foundation for Health

Most people don’t know the complexities of their own health and wellness. Often people ignore warning signs in their bodies until something drastic happens, at which point they rush to the emergency room or urgent care. The problem with treating the E.R. like primary care is skyrocketing costs—even if you have health insurance. Without health insurance, medical bills can quickly overwhelm anyone.

Having a primary care physician helps you get effective care by helping you take a proactive approach to your health. For that reason, direct primary care has come to the forefront because it provides affordable access to disease prevention, chronic disease management, and 21st-century convenience for a generation that never slows down.

Do You Know Your Vital Stats?

Primary care physicians screen for many things: including obesity, high blood pressure, and diabetes. They also review immunization records and help keep patients and their families up to date with shots and other preventative measures.

Studies show people who utilize primary care have better health outcomes, including lower rates of all causes of mortality. Researchers found a noticeably lower mortality rate from heart disease, cancer, stroke, infant mortality, low birth weight, and poor self-reported health in areas where people sought attention from primary care physicians.

Building an ongoing relationship with a primary care physician and their team empowers you to take control of your health. Think of it as having a support system that provides a wealth of knowledge you couldn’t acquire on your own. It eases fears or unfamiliarity that might prevent some from getting the lifesaving care they need.

Having someone as an advocate, to tell you when something with your health is not quite right, or to advise you to seek a specialist can prevent illnesses from developing or worsening. In the event of being referred to a specialist, this knowledge and familiarity help personalize your care and save time that may have previously been spent explaining medical history.

Managing Chronic Diseases Affordably 

A primary care provider is responsible for screening all major health-related conditions. If you already have a chronic condition, your primary care doctor helps manage it and improve your quality of life. Unfortunately, some health plans don’t accept people with preexisting conditions, but Healthcare2U’s DPC plans do.

People with preexisting conditions are the ones who need care the most; and direct primary care makes it easy to afford quality healthcare to keep diseases from escalating. This is just one of many reasons DPC memberships have become so vital.

DPC memberships accept people with preexisting conditions within manageable ranges and make controlling those diseases much more affordable. With Healthcare2U’s DPC plan, we detect, treat, and manage diseases before they become serious. Our members receive unlimited treatment and management of 13 chronic disease states for a $10 visit fee. With this membership, people who desperately need care can finally get it.

DPC Provides the Convenience You Want

Even before social distancing due to coronavirus, Millennials were leading the charge toward technology-driven healthcare. The ability to see a doctor without missing work or school is a game-changer.

As part of a direct primary care membership, telemedicine or virtual care is available to members 24/7/365 at no out-of-pocket cost. Imagine receiving care or requesting a prescription from your home or office, whenever you need to. The convenience and affordability this aspect of DPC provides is greatly appreciated by people who are busy but still value quality healthcare.

DPC Makes Healthcare Affordable

The misconception among many is that one can’t have access to quality primary care unless he has insurance. However, in the age of direct primary care, that no longer has to be the case.

A monthly DPC membership provides affordable and convenient access to excellent primary medical care, wellness, and chronic disease management for a low monthly fee. DPC has become extremely important in recent years for those who don’t have health insurance and even those who do. High deductible health plans require patients to pay high copays and deductibles for care, which puts routine healthcare out of reach for some.

The Future of Primary Care [ How the Primary Care Landscape is Adapting to a Mobile Workforce ]

Innovation and technology promote a mobile workforce. With employees being significant consumers of technology outside the office and at home, it only makes sense that they’d want to incorporate inventive solutions and technology into their healthcare.

There’s a reason annual investments in the digital health industry have increased from $1 billion in 2010 to nearly $14 billion in 2019. As mobile workers increasingly demand affordability and accessibility, employers and primary care providers must pivot to provide the flexibility the current generation demands. Let’s explore the basics of how a mobile workforce can effectively manage their healthcare through direct primary care (DPC).

Healthcare on the Move

Whether you work from home, travel to work locally, or commute from state to state, having the right type of healthcare is immensely important. For example, many risks come with being a truck driver, but many drivers do not have enough healthcare access for their specific needs. And while some trucking companies offer healthcare for their employees, access is often limited to a particular geographic area or time frame. Suppose you’re dealing with traditional healthcare options like insurance. In that case, out-of-network claims can be costly for the employee and employer, and scheduling can be nearly impossible for an employee who is always on the move.

It’s been well established that primary care is the foundation of good health. The role of a primary care provider (PCP) is to treat conditions before they escalate into worse disease states and to keep a baseline of an individual’s health data. Ideally, your PCP helps you stay healthy by providing physicals, screenings, and watching for trends that could indicate serious conditions in the future. But how do you experience the advantages of primary care when you’re always on the go?

Primary Care “To-Go”

Employers and mobile workers are taking notice of direct primary care more than ever. Unfortunately, traditional DPC practices are regionally based and may not provide a complete solution for a national or mobile workforce. That is where Healthcare2U comes in. As a nationwide, hybrid DPC organization, Healthcare2U has progressed the model’s benefits and removed its limitations. Because of their national footprint, geographical barriers to primary care are no longer a factor. When you have a nationwide DPC organization, employees can get the care they need at any time, any place. Because of their innovation, it’s no surprise that Healthcare2U has emerged as a nationwide solution for mobile workers in a wide range of industries. Employees like being able to schedule an appointment with a provider in any state and have their health data stored in one central repository to be accessed no matter where they are.

Another aspect of DPC that the mobile workforce enjoys is unlimited telehealth. The technology to visit with a doctor online or by phone has been available for many years. Still, recent world events have brought this modern way of consuming healthcare to the forefront. From 2013 to 2020, the number of telehealth visits in the U.S. has grown from an estimated 22 million visits to 60 million.

Stay on the Cutting Edge

Employee turnover eats away profits. To keep a mobile workforce happy, employers must offer alternatives to the status quo that are both economical and convenient. Direct primary care checks both of those boxes. For more information on a nationwide DPC solution, contact Healthcare2U.

Home Health Case Study: Enhanced Benefits Increased Retention in an Industry Rifled by Turnover

The nation’s Home Health Industry is plagued by various factors that lend to its remarkably high turnover rate. With low wages and inconsistent schedules, the median annual income for home care workers is around $16,200, leading to high poverty rates among those employed in this industry. In fact, one in five home care workers lives below the federal poverty line, and almost half live in low-income households. These workers are often enticed to bounce from one company to the next, persuaded by cents on the dollar and the promise of benefits. These factors and others lead to the industry’s high turnover rate of 82 percent.

Because of these factors, many home health organizations found turnover to be so severe they had to turn away new clients because they did not have enough caregivers to take on new business.

In addition to turnover, many home care organizations were affected by the Affordable Care Act (ACA) that mandates organizations with 50 or more full-time equivalent employees to provide access to preventative care. In response, home care organizations needed inexpensive health plans that aligned with their thin margins. Because of limited affordable options, many home health organizations enrolled employees into Minimum Essential Coverage (MEC) plans. MECs historically are worthless compliance plays, which offer employees no valuable healthcare benefits. These plans exacerbate the need for affordable and convenient healthcare that these underinsured, low-income employees desperately need.

In this case study, we review a home health organization located in South Texas who needed to satisfy the ACA Mandate but wanted to provide their employees with a robust and meaningful benefit. Download the case study to read more!

 

The ABCs of DPC – The Building Blocks of Healthcare [ What is Direct Primary Care and Why is it Important? ]

Direct Primary Care is an alternative payment model that provides members with access to their membership for a simple and affordable membership fee. The model encourages members to actively participate in their health by building a trusting relationship with their physician to conduct preventative exams, treat acute conditions, and detect and manage chronic illnesses before they become serious, among other services. DPC provides a solid foundation for members’ health and improves the quality and access to affordable and convenient primary medical care. Let us explore the current state of healthcare and how a health plan can use the ABCs of DPC to redefine healthcare delivery.1

 The Current State of Healthcare

Healthcare expenses are rising. Recently, concerns such as long waiting-periods for acute illnesses, higher copays, and retail healthcare have shifted patients away from their Primary Care Physicians (PCPs), resulting in fragmented care, expensive outcomes, and overall healthcare avoidance.2

  • A majority (70%) of polled Americans believe the state of healthcare has major problems and is in a state of crisis3
  • Nearly 50% of adults do not have a primary healthcare provider,4 and the problem is worse among minorities
  • The average waiting period for an in-office visit with a new primary care physician is 24 days5

This trend of moving away from PCPs drives healthcare costs up and worsens fragmented or unnecessary care. Many Americans6 have skipped recommended medical tests or treatments due to cost, and most say they have a problem paying their basic healthcare bills.7 Because of this avoidance and fragmentation, Americans are developing preventable conditions that are expensive to treat and manage.

  • 92% of Americans have a problem paying basic healthcare bills8
  • 50% of American adults avoid going to a PCP due to costs. 13% of that group said their condition got worse as a result9
  • 50% of Americans have preventable, treatable chronic conditions,10 and these diseases typically cost more than $5,000 per person for care annually.11 For example, the average cost of treating diabetes is $9,601 per person12

For many Americans, our healthcare system is failing them. As health expenses rise, employers shift the financial responsibility of healthcare to their employees, often in the form of High Deductible Health Plans (HDHPs) – raising out-of-pocket costs and deductibles in exchange for fewer benefits, compounding the issue at hand.

  • From 2006 to 2016 out of pocket spending increased by 54%, while deductibles increased by 176%. Employee wage growth was a mere 29%13
  • The average deductible for a HDHP in 2020 is $2,50014

ABCs of DPC: The Building Blocks of Healthcare

Primary Care is the entry point into the healthcare system and is referred to as the foundation of healthcare. Primary Care Physicians (PCPs) treat a range of acute illnesses and are the first to see early signs of chronic diseases, cancer, or many other issues like depression. These physicians guarantee patients receive the right care in the right setting and establish a trusting relationship that inspires patients to participate in their health and wellness and seek care quicker when new issues arise.

Now imagine unlimited access to your primary care physician when and where you need them. By eliminating barriers to primary medical care, DPC allows affordable and convenient access to services on which members depend. The three building blocks of healthcare below establish the baseline for DPC memberships and guarantee the successful delivery of primary medical care.

    • Lower Care Costs – For care performed within the DPC environment, there are no claims generated on the employer’s health plan, and there are no bills for members after receiving care. A review of 116 DPC practices found that the nationwide average for monthly membership fees were $77.38 per month, but can be as low as $45 per month15
    • Better Employee Health – Patients achieve superior health outcomes with DPC’s personalized service delivery. Employees enrolled in direct primary care have 59 percent fewer ER visits, are referred to specialists 62 percent less often, have 65 percent fewer radiology exams and have 80 percent fewer surgeries16
    • Better Patient Experience – Patients receive unrestricted access to physicians through multiple services. Common benefits include comprehensive primary services, such as routine care, regular checkups, preventive care, and care coordination.

ABC's of DPC

Healthcare2U | A Coast-to-Coast Healthcare Membership

Because of their core values, Direct Primary Care (DPC) memberships lay a solid foundation for health plans that want to institute real change and redefine healthcare delivery. Unfortunately, traditional DPC practices are regionally based and may not provide a complete solution for a national or mobile workforce. That is where Healthcare2U comes in.

We are a nationwide, integrated direct primary care organization that has progressed the model’s benefits and removed its limitations. Our solution believes the primary care patient-physician relationship is the foundation for healthy living and is the key to reducing costs and eliminating healthcare barriers. By providing a nationwide solution to primary care, we bring affordability, accessibility, transparency, and mobility to our members. Are you ready to redefine the delivery of healthcare for your clients? Let’s get started.

About Us

Healthcare2U is a hybrid, integrated direct primary care (DPC) organization that ensures employers of all sizes and structures have nationwide access to affordable, consistent, and quality primary care over 40% below the average cost of traditional DPC practices operating in the market today. Through our proprietary Private Physician Network (PPN)™, Healthcare2U promotes healthy living by detecting, treating, and managing acute and chronic conditions before the onset of serious illness. Healthcare2U is headquartered in Austin, Texas, and is available nationwide.

 

Footnotes:
1 AAFP 
2 Kaiser Health News 
3 Gallup Poll 
4 Fierce Healthcare
5 Aristamd 
6 Forbes 
7 Kaiser Family Foundation 
8 Kaiser Family Foundation 
9 Kaiser Family Foundation 
10 The Balance 
11 NCBI 
12 CDC 
13 Kaiser Family Foundation 
14 SHRM 
15 JABFM 
16 BenefitsPro 

How to Cushion the HDHP Blow With Voluntary Benefit Options

Article: How to cushion the HDHP blow with voluntary benefit options. Implementing first-dollar savings through customized benefits can help brokers give employees a soft landing into their new HDHP.
Publication: BenefitsPro.com
Author: Andy Bonner

We all know successful companies continually recruit the best talent to give themselves a competitive edge. Making employees feel valued, understood, and cared for is integral to retaining top-notch talent, and savvy employers work with knowledgeable brokers to build benefit packages to do just that.

Health plans are evolving, and many employers are shifting the financial burden to their employees, often in the form of high deductible health plans (HDHPs). The best brokers teach employer clients how to take a HDHP and incorporate voluntary benefits options that deliver real value to their employees.

Read the full article at BenefitsPro.com.

 

 

About Healthcare2U: Healthcare2U is a membership-based, hybrid direct primary care (DPC) organization that ensures employers of all sizes and structures have nationwide access to affordable, consistent, and quality primary care 40% below the average cost of traditional DPC practices operating in the market today. Through our proprietary Private Physician Network (PPN)™, Healthcare2U promotes healthy living by detecting, treating, and managing acute and chronic conditions before the onset of serious illness. Healthcare2U is headquartered in Austin, Texas, and is available nationwide. For more information, visit www.healthc2u.com.

Happy Women’s Equality Day

In honor of Women’s Equality Day, we celebrate all the brilliant and unbreakable women making positive contributions to the world.

Women’s Equality Day is celebrated in the United States on August 26th. It commemorates the 1920 adoption of the Nineteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which prohibits state and federal governments from denying the right to vote to anyone on the basis of sex. However, the fight for women’s suffrage was only the first step toward full and equal participation of women in our nation.

We’ve made other strides by attacking discrimination through our laws and by paving new avenues to equal economic opportunity for women. Today, in virtually every corner of our society, women are making important contributions to the quality of American life. And yet, much still remains to be done for women’s equality. According to the Census Bureau, women still earned 81 cents for every dollar earned by males as of 2018. Like many other disadvantaged groups, women have been expected to do more with less for decades.

So today, in honor of Women’s Equality Day, we’d simply like to say to all the strong, brave, selfless, brilliant, unstoppable, beautiful, compassionate women holding families, corporations, non-profits, schools, and governments together: We see you. Happy Women’s Equality Day!

Tips to Reopen Businesses Safely During the COVID-19 Pandemic

 

Weeks after lifting stay-at-home orders, some states are seeing record numbers of hospitalizations from #Covid19 as thousands more Americans get infected each day. Here are some essential factors to consider as businesses seek to reopen.

According to a new study by the Kaiser Family Foundation, almost 25 percent of adult workers are vulnerable to severe illness from COVID-19. Most people, including at-risk workers, can’t afford to miss work for long periods of time. Some people at risk have continued to go to work outside their homes due to the nature of their jobs, many as essential workers. Others may have been able to work remotely, but this option isn’t available to all workers. Many have lost their jobs or may be at risk of losing them. How can we reopen businesses safely?

As more workplaces reopen there will be increasing pressures for all workers, including those at higher risk, to return to jobs or seek new jobs outside of their homes. This will raise issues both for employees concerned about their safety and for employers concerned about how to keep these workers safe. As you consider reopening your business, here are some best practices recommended by the CDC to reopen businesses safely:

  • Practice social distancing by staying at least 6 feet away from others when working in a shared space
  • Wash hands frequently or use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that is at least 60% alcohol when soap and water are not available
  • Wear cloth face coverings
  • Avoid touching eyes, nose, and mouth
  • Stay home when sick
  • Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces

Stay safe and healthy!