The healthcare industry has multiple players, and like every pair of rivals, there is a genuine struggle between the status quo and those who are disrupting the industry. In Nelson Griswold’s article It’s time to choose: Status quo or disruption, the power struggle is illustrated between the “Status Quo” and the “Disruptors.” For years, insurance conglomerates with fee-for-service models have influenced the healthcare market and industry by driving up premiums and the cost of care. However, like-minded healthcare organizations, agents, and physicians are banding together to force a disruption within the industry, upsetting the status quo.
In 2018, the top five health insurance carriers totaled nearly $459 billion in revenue alone. Their reign has been long-standing, and healthcare expenses have consistently increased with premiums. From 1999-2016, the price of premiums increased by almost 300 percent. A benefit that once attracted employees and supported their health has now robbed their raises and indebted their families.
While the status quo still stands, the Disruptors press forward. Griswold describes these Disruptors as a team of sorts. The team consists of programs, organizations, and practices assisting employers in moving “away from fully insured plans to alternative funding arrangements” offering clients control over their benefit plans. This group is made up of benefit concierge programs, reference-based pricing vendors, bundled-price surgery centers, and direct primary care. Ultimately, these concepts are changing the “supply chain” of healthcare and how consumers pay for the services they need.
Healthcare2U’s mission is similar. As a hybrid direct primary care organization, we accommodate and encourage fellow Disruptors to service over 650 employer groups nationwide who wanted an alternative to the status quo. As a non-insurance healthcare membership, we eliminate claims while providing members convenient and affordable access to primary care. We understand healthcare is confusing and that navigation and education is critical. By giving a single-point-of-contact to every member, our trained medical staff can guide each member through the healthcare system to find the best solution for their condition. Within membership, members receive unlimited access to primary care physicians for $10 a visit, urgent care for only $25 a visit and chronic disease management for 13 of the most prevalent disease states for $10 a visit. They also receive unlimited 24/7/365 bilingual telehealth at no additional out-of-pocket cost. By lowering costs to the entry-point of care, members are unrestricted by financial burdens and can seek the quality care they need.
Plans such as direct primary care place employees at a position of authority with their care, choosing the best option for them.
Direct primary care is a win-win for employees and employers. No matter if your clients are self-funded or fully insured, Healthcare2U has a solution that can contain their healthcare spend. For example, with Healthcare2U, our self-funded employers’ return-on-investment averages 13 percent after one year of implementation. If producers are looking for a more robust offering, we integrate our product into benefits such as indemnity bundles or Minimum Essential Coverage plans to adapt to any client’s need.
If you’re interested in disrupting the healthcare industry, let’s get started.