Direct primary care practices charge monthly fee, allowing patients to access range of services
THURSDAY, May 23 (HealthDay News) -- Direct primary care could represent a successful model that will benefit families and doctors, according to a report published by the American Association of Family Physicians (AAFP).
The AAFP describes a model of direct primary care in which practices charge a monthly fee. The fee entitles patients to access a broad range of primary care services.
According to the report, physicians working for direct primary care practices do not take insurance, but do encourage patients to carry insurance to cover hospitalization and high-cost medical care. The direct primary care model aims to foster change in the primary care setting and assist family medicine. In addition to serving families, the direct primary care model can be beneficial for small companies, reducing the need for employees to submit claims to the company's major medical plan as their health care needs have been met by the direct primary care model.
"The model eliminates the insurance middleman and provides revenue directly to the practice to innovate in both customer service and quality of care for the patients they serve," Glen Stream, M.D., board chair for the AAFP, said in a statement. "This is one option that is particularly well suited for small family medicine practices that are struggling financially in environments not yet supporting a patient-centered medical home with a viable payment model."
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