Direct primary care and traditional healthcare share some common threads, but differ in important ways. We’ll compare them in a few key areas so you and your family can make an informed choice.
Q: Who’s In Control?
A: With traditional care, insurance companies decide what kind of care you get and for how much. In that sense, they control how often you can see your primary care provider.
When receiving direct primary care, patients pay a low monthly fee for unlimited access to their primary care doctor. This fee covers routine checkups, sick visits, wellness support, and any communication about medical questions or concerns .
Q: How Much Does It Cost?
A: Traditional healthcare costs run the gamut depending on what services you need, from whom, and how often. You have access to pre-determined levels of care based on your type of insurance coverage, the cost of which varies by plan.
By contrast, direct primary care is available for a flat, monthly fee. There’s no red tape or long delays because insurance companies aren’t billed for direct primary care (or for pediatric direct primary care).
Q: What Healthcare Services Can I Access?
A: Traditional primary care offers office visits, some vaccinations and blood tests, diagnostic services, annual physicals, and a portal patients can use to contact their physician. Inquiries often go through a nurse practitioner or other office staff, only looping in the doctor as needed for more detailed care and inquiries.
Direct primary care offers the same services as traditional primary care, with the added benefits of wellness support/lifestyle guidance and easier access to your physician and care team. Bluewater Family Wellness offers well visits, sick visits, and sports physicals, as well as telehealth visits. We even offer home visits (great for families with newborns!) at an additional cost.
We can complete required forms for school, camp, and daycare. We even provide chronic disease management support for asthma, allergies, autism, and more. When you or your child aren’t feeling well, Bluewater Family Wellness offers in-house testing for various acute diseases such as Strep, COVID, flu, and urinalysis.
Q: What Do I Do in an Emergency?
A: Like traditional primary care, direct primary care providers are not equipped to provide emergency care and related procedures. If you or your loved one is experiencing a medical emergency, call 911 and follow all dispatcher instructions.
Q: Do You Take Insurance?
A: Unlike traditional primary care offices, we don’t take insurance. However, we suggest retaining and using insurance for services not covered by our practice, like emergency and specialist care.
Q: How Do I Get Started?
A: Traditional primary care requires insurance information (in addition to complicated intake paperwork) to be completed and brought to your first appointment. There may be a waiting period for your appointment, depending on how busy the office is.
Getting started with Bluewater Family Wellness is easy. To schedule your first appointment, please reach out online, by phone, by text, or by email. We’ll collect some basic information and review the rest with you at your appointment. We look forward to showing you and your family the benefits of high-quality, direct primary care. See you soon!