The buzzwords of health care reform we focus on – Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs), Patient-Centered Medical Homes (PCHMs), Health Information Technology (HIT), Medical Loss Ratios (MLRs), etc. – are all ideas with (mostly) good intentions but none of them will change health care in America to actually improve patient care and reduce health care costs. Direct Primary Care (DPC) is the only good idea I’ve heard with the potential to ensure access to health care, decrease health care costs, and improve health outcomes.
The idea behind DPC is simple: pay your doctor a monthly fee for your care. In other words, your doctor charges you say $50-$100 per month and provides your care. Usually when this model is discussed, it is in the vernacular of “concierge” medicine. The word concierge brings with it a sense that such a health care system is only available to the wealthy. However, DPC is actually a way in which we can help everyone care regardless of their socioeconomic status. It’s like a membership. You already pay (or your employer pays) insurance premiums each month and those premiums are well over $100 per month. In fact, on the individual market, insurance is easily above $400 per month per person. If employers and government invested in this model of care, the savings would be overwhelming.
The Only Good Idea to Change Health Care that I’ve Heard – Direct Primary Care