Worker well-being and good health is directly linked to productivity and an overall better workplace lifestyle for your employees. Healthy and happy employees work harder and stay productive.
No matter what the occupation, every employee wants to feel cared for by their employer and know that they have security in their medical needs. By offering your employees a more direct and one-on-one healthcare option, you are leading the charge on worker care and health.
Direct primary care directly impacts patient health. When employees are more readily able to seek out care, they are also more willing to seek out care for issues big and small. Healthier employees take less sick days and feel more comfortable going to the doctor instead of dreading it due to the complications of scheduling and the barriers to entry. This article will go over how direct primary care works and what positive changes you and your employees can gain by providing them with a more personalized healthcare experience.
What is Direct Primary Care?
Direct primary care (DPC) is a type of healthcare model designed to make access to medical care easier and less expensive for its members (and for employers). Instead of paying a fee for each service, employers pay a monthly subscription fee covering most of the medical services their employees will ever need, including preventative care and office visits for illnesses and minor injuries. This simplifies healthcare claims, making them easier to manage, and often can save employers double digit percentages over traditional high-deductible plans.
Because direct primary care is membership-based, doctors have fewer patients to see, which means they can spend more time with each member. It’s a more personalized, individualized type of healthcare than traditional healthcare methods, and provides your employees with readily available care for their most common healthcare needs.
Why Choose DPC?
Direct primary care provides a better and more convenient experience for your employees, and presents considerable savings to your enterprise. Employees who make use of their DPC membership spend less time away from work, are in more control of their health and are ultimately more productive. Overall, it’s one of the most impactful healthcare benefits and wellness investments that your company can make.
What Benefits Does DPC Offer Employer and Employee?
Cost-Effectiveness
Direct primary care is known for its cost-effectiveness because it integrates well with existing group health insurance plans by cutting out the middleman. Providing your employees with direct access to primary care physicians cuts time away from work and gives them more access to preventive wellness, and chronic disease management. Because of this access, employers can achieve up to a 20% reduction in total healthcare costs.
More Face-to-Face Time with Doctors
Not having enough facetime with a physician can leave a patient feeling unheard. Their health often suffers as there often isn’t enough time to go over all the issues they are facing. With direct primary care, the provider you choose for your employees will have doctors with fewer members to see, and more resources at their disposal. Your employees will be better cared for and get the care they need much faster than traditional healthcare, on average. DPC doctors are able to manage patients with chronic diseases and can often keep them from having to go to the emergency room, saving time, money and ultimately the health of your employee.
Overall Improved Healthcare Experience
The healthcare experience is an upgrade from traditional care through the DPC model. Your employees won’t be off all day for an appointment, waiting in a waiting room to be seen. They have access to their provider team 24/7, and they have a trusted medical provider who can help them get coordinated care with other physicians and specialists if they need, even over the phone if appropriate.
DPC Works with Your Company’s Health Insurance Plan
Direct primary care was created not to replace or interfere with an employer’s health insurance plan, but to reinforce and enhance it with existing coverage. Employers may choose to keep their insurance but pay a monthly membership fee for their employees to have access to unlimited care with their primary care physician. Or, there are several ways to implement DPC right inside your current self-funded plan or even build a custom plan around the DPC membership. These kinds of healthcare memberships will give your employees the opportunity to develop a better relationship with their primary care doctor will ultimately lead to better health for employees and less healthcare costs for you, the employer, down the line.
Limitations of Direct Primary Care
Direct primary care is a fantastic resource for employees and its utilization has many benefits, as we have seen. Like any service, there can be limitations to what that service can do, and direct primary care is no different. Two limitations that are important to understand when you are looking for providers for your employees are:
1. DPC Only Covers Primary Care
Your employees will need supplemental insurance on top of the DPC that you provide for more specific healthcare issues. DPC is for primary care only, so when a member needs to see a specialist or have surgery, your employees will need to have insurance to cover those costs or will end up paying cash for them without insurance. Direct primary care does not completely take away the need for health insurance or an alternative plan to pay for more specialized or catastrophic medical costs. The DPC provider you choose or the benefits advisor that has helped you find a DPC plan should go over all options available for you and your employees, as there are many different options available.
2. Membership Enrollment Isn’t Counted As A Deductible
When you choose a DPC for your employees and enroll them in that specific membership healthcare program, it is important to know that the IRS categorizes the DPC as a healthcare plan. This means even though it won’t affect your employees’ access to getting healthcare when they need it, their enrollment costs aren’t classified as deducibles.
Choose Assurance for Your Employees Health and Wellness
Assurance Health & Counseling Center is a premier Direct Primary Care provider that offers exceptional healthcare without breaking the bank. We work with companies to provide an alternative to traditional health insurance, offering a lower-cost, budget-friendly option for your employees.
We provide our members unlimited access to our health providers for a flat monthly fee. We offer medical services as well as counseling services, providing a holistic approach to healthcare. Contact us today and learn how a membership can help your employees live a happier, healthier life.