FAQ: Employers and Direct Primary Care

Direct primary care is when individuals or employers pay directly for primary care. Because of this form of direct care, excessive overhead, prior authorizations, billing, extra office space, and unnecessary staff is removed from the business equation. The savings attained are passed on to the patients in the form of lower fees. Doctors are less dependent on third party payers, and end up working in the best interests of patients, not insurance companies.

What kind of employer groups are a good fit for direct primary care practices?

• Manufacturing
• Small local employers <50 employees
• Self-insured employers
• Professional firms (CPA, engineering, architectural, etc.)
• Assisted living communities

How does direct primary care benefit employers?

• Immediate and unlimited employee access to personalized primary medical care
• Reduced time away from work; reduced absenteeism
• Rising morale and productivity; employees love personalized medical care and unhurried time with their doctor
• Hiring benefit and reduced turnover costs
• Reduction in claims processing; eventual cost savings from over-utilization of diagnostics and facilities
• Proven to cut employer group health plan costs by 20 percent

How does direct primary care benefit employees?

• Enhanced and increased access to primary care services
• Generally 80 percent of needs can be covered by a primary care doctor
• Emphasis on wellness and keeping employees healthy
• Cap on primary care costs
• Decrease number of hospitalizations
• Decrease total number of sick days
• Decrease number of ER visits
• Reduce number of hospital days
• Decrease specialty visits
• Increase productivity
• Reduce absenteeism and presenteeism
• If offered, reduced costs on tests and screenings

Is direct primary care right for your business?