Direct primary care (DPC) is transforming healthcare by offering a more personalized, accessible, and affordable approach to medical care. While the model itself is gaining popularity, nothing illustrates its benefits better than hearing real patient experiences with direct primary care.
Below are some inspiring success stories from some of our members here at Ark Family Health. They highlight patient experiences with direct primary care and the impact it’s had on individuals and their families. Their stories might look similar to your own and they provide valuable insight into a more personalized, patient-centered healthcare experience.
Patient Experiences with Direct Primary Care: Whitney and Mark
Whitney and Mark’s story is not so uncommon. Mark had finished college and was working full time as a pharmacist. Whitney was a stay-at-home mom, keeping busy with three little children, ages 1, 4, and 7.
Mark’s first job as a retail store pharmacist enabled the family to get traditional health insurance coverage for $350 per month. This was the lowest premium/highest deductible plan available, with a $5,500/year individual and $11,500/year family deductible. Once that deductible was met, they still had to pay 20% of their healthcare bills’ total cost.
When Mark switched jobs to work with another company, the couple soon found out that healthcare was even less affordable. The lowest premium/highest deductible plan with similar coverage under his new employer was $1,200 per month … a monthly increase of $850 with NO better coverage! That’s when Whitney and Mark started looking into health insurance alternatives.
Healthshares and Direct Primary Care: Alternatives to the Traditional Healthcare Model
When a traditional health insurance plan was no longer affordable, Whitney and Mark turned to Christian Healthcare Ministries, a reputable healthcare cost-sharing ministry (HCSM). This type of program, also referred to as a healthshare or medical cost sharing plan, is a way for people to share the cost of healthcare with each other.
Participants in a healthshare usually pay a monthly fee and contribute to a shared money pool used to pay for members’ healthcare expenses. Members typically have to cover a certain portion of their own medical bills as well, similar to a deductible. With this type of plan, Whitney and Mark paid $135 per month and also had a $5,000/incident unshareable amount.
While continuing to work with Christian Healthcare Ministries, the family researched other options and were introduced to Ark Family Health and direct primary care by friends. With a DPC membership, Whitney, Mark, and their children still had a monthly fee. However, they now had unlimited access to their primary doctor. This was a huge benefit, especially since one of their small children had a dairy allergy as well as occasional breathing issues.
A Family of 5 Saves Over $900/Month While Getting Better Healthcare
With the combination of a healthshare plan and a DPC membership, Whitney and Mark now had access to better healthcare at a lower price. The two memberships combined only came to $265 per month, a savings of $935 monthly when compared to the plan they could get from Mark’s newest employer!
In addition, the family could enjoy all the benefits of direct primary care, including:
- Convenience
- Accessibility (including same-day appointments for urgent needs)
- Personalized and patient-centered care
- Unlimited office visits with their primary care doctor
- Reduced rates for medications, labs, and other services
What can we learn from Whitney and Mark’s story? The biggest takeaway is this: affordable healthcare IS available. It just may look different than the traditional healthcare model!
Read more about Whitney and Mark’s experiences with direct primary care and healthshares here.
Patient Experiences with Direct Primary Care: Nikki and Anthony
We recently took the time to sit down with two of our members, Nikki and Anthony. Within just a few minutes, it was easy to see that this couple has thoroughly enjoyed their experiences with direct primary care! Below are some of their favorite benefits that DPC has to offer.
Timely, Efficient, and Thorough Healthcare
Have you ever needed a particular medical procedure or service but had to wait for insurance company approval in order to get it? With direct primary care, it’s easy to get the care you need, when you need it.
Nikki and Anthony love how it’s easy to get things like prescriptions, referrals, and lab orders in a timely manner with NO hassle.
Enhanced Patient Care and Longer Visit Times
In a traditional insurance-based healthcare model, doctors and nurses have limited time to spend with patients due to their high case load. With direct primary care, however, providers can spend whatever time is necessary to thoroughly understand their patients’ needs and provide excellent care.
Nikki and Anthony appreciate the meaningful relationship they have with their providers at Ark Family Health. Healthcare is provided in a thoughtful, caring, and personalized way, enhancing the patient-provider relationship and building trust between both parties.
Increased Accessibility and Fewer Emergency Room Visits
Almost everyone can think of a time when they (or a family member) had an urgent health matter that came up when their doctor’s office wasn’t open. With the traditional insurance-based healthcare model, there are two options when this happens:
- Put off getting the care you need until the doctor’s office IS open.
- Or, go to the Emergency Room or Urgent Care.
With the first choice, you’re not getting the care you need when you need it. With the second option, you could be left with a hefty bill for services rendered by a doctor you don’t even know.
Nikki and Anthony love how easy it is to talk to their doctor with direct primary care. Their provider is easily accessible by phone, chat, video, or email, even after typical business hours! In fact, Nikki told of one time when she had an urgent issue and was able to contact her doctor after hours. Rather than going to the Emergency Room, the problem was dealt with and resolved right at home. Now THAT’S accessible healthcare!
Learn more about Nikki and Anthony’s experiences with direct primary care here.
Ark Family Health: Enhancing Patient Experiences with Direct Primary Care in the Phoenix Area
At Ark Family Health, we hear countless patient experiences with direct primary care and how it’s changed their life. Members love how they can get affordable care for their whole family, peace of mind with preventative care, and professional help for managing complex healthcare needs.
The success stories mentioned above are just a few examples of how direct primary care can change lives by offering a personalized, accessible, and affordable healthcare experience. Whether it’s managing chronic conditions, prioritizing preventative care, or simply reducing the financial and emotional stress of healthcare, DPC empowers patients to take control of their health.
Contact us today to learn more about our membership plans and what direct primary care can do for you and your family.