by Blake Fussell
Most Americans have experienced a brutally long wait time to see a doctor for just a few minutes. Direct Primary Care (DPC) has been an option to assist with the issue and could be a major benefit within an employer-sponsored health plan.
Traditionally, a health insurance plan has allowed a patient to see a doctor when a problem arises, which has given primary care providers an incentive to see more patients in less time. With Direct Primary Care, health insurance acts as a membership, where the entire person is covered within a physician’s independent practice.
“Rather than fee-for-service, you pay your doctor through membership and receive all the services you need, offered directly to you,” said Alex George of Hint Health.
This has helped Direct Primary Care doctors keep the number of patients they see to about a quarter of the average panel that a PCP practicing in the fee-for-service model, which in turn has provided closer, quicker and more affordable care to patients.
According to George, most solo Direct Primary Care physicians have been able to keep their patient base below 600. With traditional insurance and health care facilities, the number of patients searching for care could be much higher, causing extended wait times.
“The main problem with the traditional model is that patients can’t get enough care from their doctors,” George said. “Most people have to schedule months out and when they finally meet that doctor, they may only have 20 minutes with them. By eliminating insurance from the equation, they have more time to spend with their patients.”
In addition to the improved care, DPC can also lead to extensive savings. While employers will spend more on primary care with DPC, they will spend far less in other areas such as emergency department, specialist visits, outpatient surgery, and urgent care.
DPC has required a fixed cost to patients with no co-pay or co-insurance and comes with unlimited access. It also reduces costs, stop-loss premiums and unnecessary care for employers, all while providing more efficient care to the people who need it the most.
DPC membership has increased by 241% between 2017 and 2021 according to Hint Health. DPC networks have extended to 40 states, with a 159% increase in physicians participating in the model since 2017.
With the increase in popularity, companies like Hint Health have assisted through software (HintOS), a clinical network and employer benefit (Hint Connect) and education (Hint Summit) of DPC. With Hint Connect, employers have been able to connect with physicians providing the care, as well as add the DPC benefit to their health insurance package.
“It’s a network-based approach for employers, so they can tap into Hint’s network of primary care providers and provide that as a health benefit to their employees,” George said. “We attach ourselves to a normal health plan, with a focus of helping people have access to that care they need.”
Hint Health has provided the technology required for DPC to run smoothly, and provides the experience employers need to add Direct Primary Care to their benefits package. More information on their services can be found at www.hint.com. The company has also provided ample research and information to inform employers about the benefits of DPC, which can be found in the DPC Brief and the DPC Trends Report on their website.
We are proud to feature Hint Health on The Granite List.
