FAQs
Do I need health insurance if I enroll with Tricia Birdwell, MD?
Yes, it is highly recommended that patients carry both a major medical plan and a health savings account to ensure financial help in the event of hospitalization, surgery or specialist referral. Direct Primary Care is not an insurance plan, but helps reduce your health expenses by having rapid, quality access to care. We can also help you save money on medications, labs, medical procedures and imaging studies. Overall, your health care expenses should be less. However, I can see you regardless of insurance status.
A Family Physician is able to manage 85-90% of health issues without a referral to a specialist. This is cost-effective, compared with more expensive specialist visits. A patient may be able to consolidate care from multiple specialists to one family doctor. Referrals will be coordinated if needed, to appropriate high-value providers.
Will I benefit from this type of care if I don't require frequent medical attention?
Yes! We are devoted to the maintenance of your good health and prevention of disease. Early detection of illness also optimizes your health, reduces time off work, and reduces expense.
Does Dr. Birdwell accept my health insurance?
We do not bill any insurance companies. This model of care centers on a direct, personal relationship between you and your doctor. This carries over to our business model as well. By not accepting insurance, the quality, quantity and cost of your family's healthcare is not dictated by an insurer. There will be no "co-pays" for your visits, and you will receive many benefits through your enrollment.
May children become members/patients?
Yes! We are happy to accept children of our enrolled patients.
What if I have Medicare?
If you have many health conditions from living many years, you will appreciate the long, relaxed office visits that are much better designed to treat complex, multiple, and inter-related health issues. The current assembly-line style of medical office visits are undesirable and often unsafe for the Medicare age group. In order to have this luxury of time and attention, you will need to sign a waiver to assert that neither you, nor I, will directly bill Medicare for my services. Medicare will of course still pay as per usual for your out of office labs, imaging, referral doctor fees, physical therapy, ER visits, hospitalizations, etc. Finally, if you would like to benefit from a practice such as this one, you should be sure that whichever Medicare plan you choose is not an HMO model that restricts you to a small panel of in-network doctors.
What about my chronic pain medication?
I am usually unable to chronically prescribe any type of narcotic/controlled substance prescriptions- this includes chronic opioids, benzodiazepines, sleeping pills, medical marijuana, etc. There are times when these types of medications are needed long term and are often better managed by pain specialists or psychiatrists. Treatment decisions are made on a case by case basis.
How does membership help small businesses?
1. Reduced Medical Expense
Direct Primary Care saves money for self-insured employers when unnecessary employee visits to the Emergency Room or Urgent Care are avoided. As an example, an employee with bladder infection symptoms who is unable to see a physician in a timely manner may go to the ER instead, costing thousands of dollars to get a diagnosis and hours or days off work.
2. Reduced Absenteeism
Access to care, and less time in the waiting room minimizes absence from work. Ability to communicate with technology also facilitates efficiency and increased productivity.
3. Attracting and Retaining Talented Employees
The convenience of partnering with Tricia Birdwell, MD for employers is a significant benefit that can be leveraged for employee recruitment. Coupled with mobile communication alternatives and focus on achieving wellness and prevention goals, direct primary care is an excellent option for solid healthcare.
Corporations or businesses may contract with Tricia Birdwell, MD to allow their employees to visit the doctor at no charge. While companies will still offer traditional or high-deductible insurance, encouraging employees to visit their physician helps keep overall costs down and the workforce healthy,
Yes, it is highly recommended that patients carry both a major medical plan and a health savings account to ensure financial help in the event of hospitalization, surgery or specialist referral. Direct Primary Care is not an insurance plan, but helps reduce your health expenses by having rapid, quality access to care. We can also help you save money on medications, labs, medical procedures and imaging studies. Overall, your health care expenses should be less. However, I can see you regardless of insurance status.
A Family Physician is able to manage 85-90% of health issues without a referral to a specialist. This is cost-effective, compared with more expensive specialist visits. A patient may be able to consolidate care from multiple specialists to one family doctor. Referrals will be coordinated if needed, to appropriate high-value providers.
Will I benefit from this type of care if I don't require frequent medical attention?
Yes! We are devoted to the maintenance of your good health and prevention of disease. Early detection of illness also optimizes your health, reduces time off work, and reduces expense.
Does Dr. Birdwell accept my health insurance?
We do not bill any insurance companies. This model of care centers on a direct, personal relationship between you and your doctor. This carries over to our business model as well. By not accepting insurance, the quality, quantity and cost of your family's healthcare is not dictated by an insurer. There will be no "co-pays" for your visits, and you will receive many benefits through your enrollment.
May children become members/patients?
Yes! We are happy to accept children of our enrolled patients.
What if I have Medicare?
If you have many health conditions from living many years, you will appreciate the long, relaxed office visits that are much better designed to treat complex, multiple, and inter-related health issues. The current assembly-line style of medical office visits are undesirable and often unsafe for the Medicare age group. In order to have this luxury of time and attention, you will need to sign a waiver to assert that neither you, nor I, will directly bill Medicare for my services. Medicare will of course still pay as per usual for your out of office labs, imaging, referral doctor fees, physical therapy, ER visits, hospitalizations, etc. Finally, if you would like to benefit from a practice such as this one, you should be sure that whichever Medicare plan you choose is not an HMO model that restricts you to a small panel of in-network doctors.
What about my chronic pain medication?
I am usually unable to chronically prescribe any type of narcotic/controlled substance prescriptions- this includes chronic opioids, benzodiazepines, sleeping pills, medical marijuana, etc. There are times when these types of medications are needed long term and are often better managed by pain specialists or psychiatrists. Treatment decisions are made on a case by case basis.
How does membership help small businesses?
1. Reduced Medical Expense
Direct Primary Care saves money for self-insured employers when unnecessary employee visits to the Emergency Room or Urgent Care are avoided. As an example, an employee with bladder infection symptoms who is unable to see a physician in a timely manner may go to the ER instead, costing thousands of dollars to get a diagnosis and hours or days off work.
2. Reduced Absenteeism
Access to care, and less time in the waiting room minimizes absence from work. Ability to communicate with technology also facilitates efficiency and increased productivity.
3. Attracting and Retaining Talented Employees
The convenience of partnering with Tricia Birdwell, MD for employers is a significant benefit that can be leveraged for employee recruitment. Coupled with mobile communication alternatives and focus on achieving wellness and prevention goals, direct primary care is an excellent option for solid healthcare.
Corporations or businesses may contract with Tricia Birdwell, MD to allow their employees to visit the doctor at no charge. While companies will still offer traditional or high-deductible insurance, encouraging employees to visit their physician helps keep overall costs down and the workforce healthy,