Many Americans who buy their medical insurance through the Healthcare Marketplace might be priced out this year.
Without a federal solution, Affordable Care Act premiums are expected to double and even triple. Families may have to opt out of buying insurance altogether.
There is an option in Chattanooga offered by Hitchcock Family Medicine. They cut out insurance companies and offer plenty of savings using the Direct Primary Care model of healthcare.
Dr. Matthew Hitchcock, MD, runs Hitchcock Family Medicine, which opened more than a decade ago.
“I just got sick and tired of dealing with insurance and all the headaches and hassles of that,” he said. “So instead of me billing your insurance when you come in, you pay a flat monthly fee, just like a gym membership.”
Patients who have no insurance or have high-deductible medical insurance benefit from the reduced prices and attention to overall patient care the Hitchcock Family Medicine model provides.
Adults and children 0-2 years old pay a monthly flat fee of $90. Children ages 3-17 years of age pay $60 per month. Any child who sees the same physician as a parent will have their membership fee discounted to just $30 per month, regardless of age (0-17 years old).
Patients can see their physician as little or as often as needed under the monthly plan.
“Generally, we book thirty-minute to one-hour appointments, which far exceeds the standard model of spending 7.5 minutes with your doctor,” he said. “You get that unhurried, unrushed time with your doctor and even get your doctor's cell phone number for urgent issues.”
Hitchcock offers services in Family Medicine, Pediatrics, Internal Medicine, and Women’s health.
The firm negotiates with medical labs, pharmaceutical companies and other medical specialists so they can provide their patients with substantially reduced costs on certain things like bloodwork, diagnostic results, and medicine. “We’ve negotiated wholesale pricing on labs that are significantly cheaper. For example, we had one patient, whose child sees a specialist that ordered lab work. The patient requested pricing through the provider her insurance recommended, and the out-of-pocket fee was going to be $150. Because of our wholesale pricing on the labs, and she was able to pay only $7 getting them done here.”
He said his medical office can provide a variety of care, meaning patients can often avoid the high cost of going to an ER or urgent care. “There was a patient who sliced her hand open when she dropped a dish,” he said. “It was about 10 O’clock at night. She texted me, we met here at the office, and I sewed her hand up. She didn’t have to go to the ER. I can take care of a lot of things that patients normally go to the ER for and reduce those downstream costs. I can take care of it here and absolutely love it.”
Dr. Hitchcock said if a patient does require a trip to a specialist or hospital, his team can usually still assist their patients to keep their costs minimal and provide a better transition instead of waiting for hours at an ER. “If you need go to the ER or you need a surgeon, we can help coordinate with them to get things prepared ahead of your visit. I could splint an arm in the evening and help schedule your visit with the specialist the following morning. But if you do have to go to the ER immediately, I can be proactive and call everything in before you arrive.”
Dr. Hitchcock said he has seen an increase in patients at his clinic and expects there will be another surge if healthcare costs continue to skyrocket. The doctor said he recently added a fifth physician, expanding their ability to care for more patients.
Hitchcock recently added in-house imaging rooms so his office can provide onsite X-Rays, CT scans, and ultrasounds for set cash prices. One example of savings he provided was, “A patient needed a CT scan, and their cost was going to be $750 elsewhere. We did it here for $350.”
Hitchcock Family Medicine is at the forefront of innovation with their in-house pharmacy, offering 24-hour medication pickup. “For a lot of people, it is hard for them to make it to their pharmacy during regular hours. We have these pick-up lockers, almost like Amazon-style locker, for picking up medications. The locker is accessible 24/7 so you can pick up your medicine after work or even at 2 a.m. and there is no wait in line time,” he said.
“We are the first and only pharmacy right now in Tennessee that has it. We had to go to the Board of Pharmacy in Nashville and get approval to do it. We're actually running the pilot project for the state. We are helping write the rules and regulations for pharmacies who want to use them in the future. We are super proud of that.” Just like lab work, they offer wholesale medications. “Most of our medicine is cheaper than Good RX or other discount programs,” he said.
You don't have to be a member of Hitchcock Family Medicine to use their pharmacy or imaging center, but members of the practice do get the best prices. The firm also works with small local businesses to help them offer low-cost medical coverage for their employees.
For families looking for extra medical protection in case of a major medical emergency, Dr. Hitchcock said people should look at the various supplemental services offered by Aflac and other organizations.
“We’re seeing a lot more people looking at fixed indemnity, Aflac style plans. There might be some options that provide some peace of mind for larger emergencies,” he said.
Joining Hitchcock Family Medicine is easy. Visit their website where you can sign up or set up a consultation visit.
Hitchcock Family Medicine
- 5104 Hixson Pike, Hixson, TN
- (423) 801-1010
- Website: www.hitchcock.md