- Can my pre tax dollar
insurance plan
(such as HSA and FSA) be used to specifically cover the annual fee?
Probably not. Check with your
plan administrator or Human Resources representative for clarification
and exploration of my vision to provide primary services in an
enrollment practice using pre-tax dollars. Since the annual fee is for
medical services, Health Care Savings Accounts and Flex Accounts should
be able to be used, but you are responsible for investigating these
benefits. Because insurance and benefit plans vary, Meliora Family
Medicine cannot advise you regarding reimbursements.
- How will you have
enough time to care for me and my family?
At Meliora Family Medicine, a limit is placed on the
number of patients so that you are given timely and complete care. This
allows Dr. Davis to give her full attention to each one of her
patients. Most primary care physicians care for several thousand
patients, with the national average being 2,300 patients. Working forty
hours a week for fifty weeks a year gives the doctor only 2000 hours
per year, not including administrative and educational time. This means
each patient gets less than one hour of their doctor’s time each
year. In contrast, the patient panel at Meliora will be limited
to around 300 patients.
- Will I be
required to pay the annual fee even if I do not get
sick?
Yes. Preventive care is an important focus of Dr. Davis' practice. She
strongly encourages wellness consultations and regular care for chronic
illnesses. The annual fee allows the patient panel to remain small so
that you can have access to Dr. Davis whether you are sick or well.
- Why do you charge
additional fees for certain services?
By charging fees for services, such as office visits, e-mail visits and
phone consultations, I am able to keep the annual fee lower, so those
who do not require those services do not have to pay for those who
might need them more frequently. Most current practices charging an
access fee cost at least double to triple my current rate. Some
of these
practices with much higher fees include all care in the annual fee. I
believe in you paying
for what you need as an individual and not subsidizing the care of
others.
- I am really
interested in supporting this concept of health care. Are
there other ways I can help?
Yes. Dr. Davis is always
interested in new ideas that can aid in providing care for those who
can not afford her annual fee. Talk to her if you have any ideas
and she would be delighted to include you in her journey to providing
equal access to superb care.
- Will this style of
practice result in a greater shortage of primary care physicians, due
to the fact that they are not taking as many patients under their care?
No. Fifty percent fewer US medical students are choosing careers in
primary care today compared to just ten years ago. Practices like
Meliora can inspire more interest in primary care by showing future
physicians a new model of care.
United States senior medical students
are avoiding specializing in primary care in favor of specialty
training. During medical school, our future doctors see current primary
care providers suffering from early burnout, frustration, depression
and anger mainly due to increasing loss of control in patient care
decisions, loss of respect, and steady decrease in income in spite of
increasing hours worked.
These future physicians also see the
difficulties primary care doctors face simply getting paid for the
services they are allowed to bill. All of these struggles take place in
a medical system that does not appreciate the value and savings good
primary care services provide to society. Most current primary care
physicians are good doctors stuck in a broken system that rewards
quantity of care over quality of care.
The Ideal Medical Practices’ new model of health care uses the ideals
of low overhead, lower volume, efficiency in office management, and
accountability for outcomes of patient care. This innovative group of
physicians is currently working on providing real numbers that show the
cost savings and improvement in overall chronic care when practices
uphold this model of care.
Financially viable and personally sustainable practices that are
satisfying to both physician and patient are the only hope for the
future of primary care. I firmly believe that having a robust, viable
primary care system in the United States is the only hope for
decreasing health care costs and providing all citizens with basic
health care service.
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