YOUR TIME is valuable – Mondays with your MD

2023-03-15T13:38:23+00:00December 4th, 2022|Adults, Direct Primary Care, Families, Family Practice, Health Care, Membership|

YOUR TIME is the most valuable resource you have. Give yourself the gift of TIME.

You work hard to balance time between your career and your family. When one of your own has a health concern that “pops up” or just needs to be scheduled …. trying to figure out the how, where, and when to get the issue addressed can literally take hours, and even days, from your routine.

I get it. I’m a working mom and I know what it is like to balance work and family, to “carry” the mental load, and then…. to put “one more thing” on your plate. My job is to take that stress off your plate.

“My son has a sore throat and fever…. I have placed a call to his doctor’s office and am waiting for a call back….”

When you have medical concerns, the last thing you want is to pile on more stress. Let me help! My patients reach out to me, their physician, directly via text at any time of day. They get answers to the questions they have about their health immediately and can take the next steps and get back to their busy lives.

“My daughter cut open her foot. Do I take her to urgent care or ER and wait to be seen?”

No one has time to wait around for a return call from the doctor’s office for advice. You don’t have to sit in an urgent care with other contagious sick people waiting to be seen… then go back again the following week because you picked up a virus in the lobby while waiting. We take care of this without the wait!

“I am experiencing a constant feeling of being tired… but I just put off going to see the doctor because it is so hard to get an appointment and the visit takes up half my day.”

Let us make going to the doctor as easy as booking a time that works perfectly for your schedule. We even offer telemedicine so you can get care wherever you are. If you are visiting us, there is no waiting in a waiting room. Ever!

THIS IS NOT too good to be true!


Ditch the Healthcare Hassle. Give yourself the gift of Time!

Get all the health care needs for your family met with ease and grace. We know how valuable your time is and that is why we are making health care easy for families: one mom at a time.

Come and see how Direct Primary Care works….schedule a free initial consultation with us today and get all your questions answered.

YOU DESERVE BETTER CARE

Mondays with your MD – Open Enrollment is Here

2022-11-12T02:13:13+00:00November 5th, 2022|Adults, Copays, Deductibles, Direct Primary Care, Family Practice, Health Care, Membership, Prescription Costs|

The THINGS you DID NOT EVEN THINK to consider this Open Enrollment…..

How can I keep my costs low AND receive high quality accessible health care?

Every year we pay more for insurance while less and less is covered. When we attempt to use our insurance it is cumbersome and inconvenient at best. We have all experienced the frustration with the amount of time it requires to obtain what we need for our health and get it covered by insurance. Today we cover the basics and empower you to make decisions that will give you the most cost-effective way to obtain the high quality health care you deserve

The Jargon

Premium: the amount you pay every month for health insurance.
Deductible: the amount you must pay before you can get any services covered by your insurance in a calendar year. A few Caveats to the deductible: Not everything counts towards your deductible. Premiums and copays generally don’t count. Some plans have separate deductibles for prescriptions.

Copay: a fixed amount you pay for a covered expense (visits, procedures, medications, etc)
Out-of-pocket maximum: the most you might have to spend for covered services in a given year. This number is important to understand!
HDHP is a High-deductible Health Plan (HDHP): these plans offer lower monthly premiums and allow you qualify for a Health Savings Account (HSA)
HSA is a Health Savings Account: A type of savings account that lets you set aside money on a pre-tax basis to pay for qualified medical expenses.
Health Share Plans*: this is not an insurance product and offers much lower monthly premiums with low initial unshareable amount (similar to a deductible). *A cooperative where members “share” medical costs. They cover catastrophic needs (hospital stay, surgery, ER visit, etc) but are not insurance products.

What your typical open enrollment conversation is missing!!!

Smart consumers determine their out of pocket projected cost for the year and choose a high deductible plan to save on monthly premiums. Savvy consumers understand the relationship between premiums and deductibles and keep costs low by determining the most cost-effective way to lower their out of pocket-expenses over the course of the entire year.

REMEMBER HEALTH CARE DOES NOT NEED TO BE EXPENSIVE.

Direct Primary Care: The impossible Made Simple and Transparent.

Direct Primary Care (DPC) removes insurance companies from the physician-patient relationship and provides the vast majority of health care services through a low monthly fee (like a gym membership). Patients skip the hassle of traditional insurance-based care. They get more time with their physician with same day and next day appointments… all without copays or hidden fees. DPC can produce tremendous savings on out of pocket expenses when patients work with their DPC physician to find the most cost-effective appropriate health care. The enormous savings on medications, labs, and imaging often exceed the annual cost of membership.

Can you imagine if you could have easily accessible high quality health care with access to your doctor whenever you needed it AND pay less out of pocket? Have a cough and fever but dont want to go to the urgent care? ….. skip the line and the copay! Urinary tract infection while on vacation out of state?…. no problem we got you covered.

“Dr Diaz is accountable and easy to reach. I feel well taken care of and trust I am in good hands.“ – M.C.

M.C. saved 97% on her bloodwork.
Imagine getting 97% OFF… you read that right! This patient had labs with Roots Health DPC and paid $29.57. The same patient had the exact same labs billed (for the same tests) at a price of $901.24 through the same lab.

At Roots Health DPC we get it. Your health and wellness are our main goal and we are here to support our patients as they make decisions that will affect their well-being.

Open enrollment only comes once per year… make the most of it and choose the best plan to meet your health care needs.
Its your money.
Its your healthcare.
Its your choice.

If you want to learn more about how direct primary care can help you achieve your health care goals and save you money, sign up for our free guide:
“Better Healthcare for a Fraction of the Price”

Mondays with your MD – Getting to the root of your healthcare concerns

2022-10-08T18:48:36+00:00October 3rd, 2022|Community, Family Medicine, Family Practice, Health Care, Membership|

Are you frustrated with the existing health care system? Is your doctor treating your individual symptoms but not helping you find the root cause for the constellation of symptoms you have? Are you wondering if your health care needs might require an integrative approach?

Roots Health DPC provides a patient-centered approach that engages the whole person; nourishes the mind, body, and spirit; and encourages the conscious creation of personal health and wellness. Patients have constant direct access to board-certified medical care with ample time to fully evaluate and treat the root cause of symptoms.

Did you know that the average length of time spent in an office visit to cover patient concerns and circumstances is 7 minutes in the traditional insurance-based health care model? That’s right… 7 minutes! It is no small wonder that the typical health care experience feels piecemeal and rushed. You would not expect your mechanic to diagnose, let alone treat, your car problem in 7 minutes…. so why do we accept this substandard care for our own health and well-being?

At Roots Health DPC, we know that your health is the most important thing. It is the foundation for living life on your terms.

Why should you consider direct primary care for your health care?

Quality time
Quality time to understand your health care needs with your physician and create an individualized health care plan. We focus on the whole patient as a unique individual –taking into account each element of a person’s health, environment, and lifestyle.

Communication
Communication with your board-certified physician that is easy and ongoing making it simple to adjust the plan as necessary to meet your health care needs. Unlimited physician access and visits… in office and virtual

No Waiting. No Copays. Ever.

Affordable Transparent Pricing.

A low monthly membership fee provides unlimited direct access to your physician to work with you as a team to obtain and maintain your optimal health and well-being. Steep discounts on labs, medications, supplements, and imaging.

If you are looking for a board-certified physician that you trust to look at the whole picture and get to the root of your health concerns and help you build a healthier life…. consider joining us at Roots Health DPC. Schedule a Free Meet and Greet with Dr Diaz today.


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    Mondays with your MD: What is Direct Primary Care?

    2022-06-10T03:49:57+00:00June 10th, 2022|Direct Primary Care, Family Practice, Health Care, Membership, Urgent Care|

    People ask me all the time…. What is Direct Primary Care?

    Focused on your health.

    In a traditional fee for service primary care practice, doctors are paid based on how many people they see, number of tests they order, or type of procedures they do. This leads to our current system of rapid visits with many tests and quick referrals. Many times doctors cannot take the the time to really listen, or think about what is best for your health from the patient perspective. In the existing system, doctors are not reimbursed for emails or phone calls and this creates a system where it becomes difficult to speak to your doctor outside of a harried office visit that you may have been waiting a long time for.

    In direct primary care, instead of paying for each visit or procedure, you pay a monthly fee. This monthly fee frees the physician from the model that promotes productivity over quality and allows your physician to focus on you and what you really need. This leads to more time with your doctor when you need it and convenient easy access outside the doctor’s “office visit” by phone, text, email, etc.

    The doctor you call. The doctor you trust.

    Direct primary care doctors are dedicated to provide the high-quality unhurried care that is essential for your wellbeing and ongoing maintenance of your health. You can see your direct primary care doctor for all routine and preventive services like checkups as well as urgent care and chronic care management. Many times having this relationship with your physician and the access it provides, can save you visits to more expensive venues like the urgent care, hospital or emergency room.

    Mondays with your MD: Keeping medications affordable

    2022-06-06T13:57:34+00:00June 5th, 2022|Adults, Direct Primary Care, Health Care, Membership, Prescription Costs|

    Medications do not need to be expensive.

    At Roots Health DPC, we are making medications affordable for our patients. How?

    We buy medications at wholesale pricing and sell them to our patients directly at wholesale cost – without marking them up. We remove the profit takers, pharmacy benefit managers, and retail pharmacies between patients and their medications, effectively lowering the cost of prescriptions by 50% to 90%.

    Examples of medications for under $5/month

    Medication Dosage
    Metformin 1000 mg
    Ibuprofen 600 mg
    Lisinopril 10 mg
    Amlodipine 2.5 mg
    Sertraline/Zoloft 50 mg
    Lovastatin 40 mg
    Sumatriptan/Imitrex 100 mg
    Lortadine/Claritin 10 mg

    A simple idea to solve a complex problem

    DPC stands for Direct Primary Care – we deliver health care services, including medications, directly to our patients. We provide medications at these rates because we believe that the people in our community deserve fair pricing on the medications they need to stay healthy. At Roots Health DPC, we are uniquely qualified to partner with our patients to determine which medications will best treat their medical conditions.

    Mondays with Your MD: Health Insurance is not Good Health Care

    2022-05-22T19:04:31+00:00May 22nd, 2022|Adults, Copays, Family Practice, Health Care, Membership|

    How accessible is health care in the richest nation? Why Health Insurance ≠ Health Care.

    Many patients tell me that they love their doctor but that they cannot get through easily or book an appointment quickly. They pay thousands of dollars annually for “health insurance,” but are frustrated with their inability to access appropriate “health care.” Patients often go to an emergency room or an urgent care to be seen because it is the only option in the existing health care model.

    The result: Americans visits the doctor less frequently and have the highest rate of avoidable deaths.

    The United States spends 2x as much, per person, as other high-income countries, yet the US continues to have the lowest life expectancy and poorer health care outcomes when compared to other countries. Americans pay hefty premiums to health insurance plans every year. Where do the dollars go and why is health care access awful?

    Traditional physician offices incur a large cost for taking care of patient needs outside of the actual patient office visit. For example, making a phone call to provide patient care is not compensated by insurance companies. Several other similar services that are instrumental to good health care include completing forms for patients, ordering and/or reviewing labs, and writing prescriptions. Restrictions placed by insurance companies make it difficult to take care of patients outside of the visit.

    What if health insurance was the same as other insurance products?

    A good example is car insurance. You expect to pay out of pocket for your gas, oil change, and maintenance/repairs. You have a high deductible low premium insurance that covers you in case of a car accident. In the analogous healthcare model, patients have catastrophic health insurance coverage with low monthly premiums and a high deductible.

    Pairing health insurance with health care, through a physician direct primary care office, lowers out of pocket expense and improves health outcomes by providing access to obtain discounted screenings, preventative services, urgent care services, labs, and medications.

    Health insurance companies have come between patients and their health. The health system in the United States is broken as evidenced by the out of control spending and health outcomes. Direct primary care offers an alternative that works. Direct primary care aligns values to prioritize patient health care needs with lower costs and better health outcomes. Find a direct primary care near you by searching https://mapper.dpcfrontier.com/

    Mondays with Your MD: Transparent Pricing is your Right

    2022-05-09T12:04:16+00:00May 7th, 2022|Copays, Deductibles, Direct Primary Care, Membership, Prescription Costs|

    Your Rights

    We all know that transparent pricing in health care services is rare. It can be different now.

    In the traditional health care system, patients often asked me why they had received outrageous bills for their medical care and what they could do about it. I got tired of watching patients struggle with medical bills. I felt powerless in my ability to deliver the health care my patients deserved. Even worse, I knew that the financial health of my patients directly affected their physical and emotional health.

    Did you know that medical bills are the most common cause for U.S. bankruptcies? Common sense would dictate that transparent pricing is an integral part of excellent health care.

    Most hospitals are still NOT compliant with posting prices to their website even though it has been a law since Jan 1,2021! It is now your right to know the financial implications of the care that you receive.

    Excellent health care does not have to be expensive.

    There are numerous services that allow you to compare the price of health care. One of my favorite sites is “turquoise.health” where the cost of local medical procedures/tests can be compared.

    I believe patients should always know how much a service will cost be before they receive care.

     

    An Example…

    At Roots Health DPC, we negotiate lab costs directly with the laboratory and obtain lab studies at significantly discounted prices which are listed on our website. Shortly after we opened our doors we charged one of our first patients $32.45 for a panel of standard labs. When that patient received another bill for $927.86 from the lab she contacted the lab directly and was offered a “self-pay” discount of $250.00. Since the bill was an error, ultimately she did not incur a charge at all. The value of this experience was priceless for my patient and myself as we realized just how wildly variable pricing can be, and just how little transparency exists.

    No one deserves to be saddled with an insurmountable pile of medical bills.

    All of us deserve transparent pricing and, in fact, it is our right.

     

    Circling back: The Pandemic. Navigating Your Health Today.

    2021-08-31T13:59:18+00:00August 31st, 2021|Adults, Coronavirus, Covid-19 Testing, Membership, Pandemic, Vaccine|

    As the Delta strain sweeps across our country many of the measures to prevent spread are being reinstated. Most would agree, whenever we make progress in life, it is usually “2 steps forward and one step back.” Dealing with a novel coronavirus is no different.

    The vaccines have been highly effective. They continue to give vaccinated persons protection by keeping vaccinated individuals out of the hospitals as this more virulent Delta variant spreads. This is witnessed across the country where the hospitalizations and deaths are afflicting the unvaccinated population heavily.

    As the Delta variant continues to circulate and cases climb, we now know that vaccinated individuals can transmit the Delta variant to unvaccinated. We must again choose to protect our most vulnerable by wearing masks in public spaces, avoiding large indoor gatherings, spacing 6 feet, and getting tested. This time around, Covid testing is more widely available and there are rapid tests that can be done in the comfort of your own home.

    I recommend Bimax now Antigen test, but would like to make you aware of the rapid testing limitations. The test works well if you have symptoms and it is a positive result. However, if you have been exposed you will need a PCR test 4-5days after exposure. If you have symptoms and a negative rapid test result you will also require a PCR test.

    Our patients at Roots Health DPC are able to obtain PCR testing when they need it and it is sent to the lab for results. More importantly, each individual receives personalized and specific recommendations for their unique situation. Can you imagine navigating covid without a board-certified physician available to answer questions?

    As with anything difficult, we can always find a silver-lining… and we must if we want to continue to grow and improve. The pandemic has made the case … we all deserve better health care. The foundation for improved health outcomes lies in the rebuilding of a solid physician-patient relationship and unlimited access to your physician when you need it. How we get through it all… will always depend on… who we get through it all with.

    The Pandemic. Deferred wellness. Navigating health today.

    2021-05-13T18:23:04+00:00May 8th, 2021|Community, Copays, Deductibles, Direct Primary Care, Family Medicine, Membership, Pandemic, Telemedicine, Urgent Care|

    As we pass one year since the pandemic started, it is time to take stock of our overall health and what it means to us as individuals.  It’s important to note the collateral effects that the COVID-19 pandemic has had on our individual health as well as the overall wellness of our community.  Many avoided or delayed care (both urgent and routine) to lower the risk of acquiring COVID-19.   We now have evidence that this shift has led to delayed diagnosis and treatment which results in poor outcomes.

    While we can celebrate some success as the number of vaccinated individuals increases in the United States, we still struggle with effects of social isolation and the surge of mental health problems that accompany it.

    Prior to the pandemic, it was common for patients to avoid the “hassle” of the traditional health care system. Patients disliked the “big production” around getting an appointment and waiting to be seen as well as the amount of time and energy spent to engage with the insurance-based model of care. Often patients delayed care because the cost was not transparent and surprise billing was never popular.  Between copays, deductibles and out-of-pocket maximums most people have no idea what costs to expect when they seek the care that is recommended.

    The pandemic has accentuated the difficulties of getting care… we have witnessed that our health care system is beyond broken.  It does not serve patients and the time for change is past due.

    What if getting care was as easy as scheduling online and speaking directly to your doctor via phone text or email whenever needed?  What if there was no “hassle” to get an appointment and no wait to see your doctor?  The Direct Primary Care (DPC) model has made this a reality.  Your physician is easily accessible with time to address all your health concerns.  DPC is the future of health care and is championed by physicians around the country dedicated to doing what is best for their patients.  DPC takes away the “pain” of seeing the doctor.  It emphasizes the value of the patient-physician relationship and creates space for shared decision-making around health and wellness.  DPC provides excellent care, transparent pricing, and unparalleled accessibility.

    During the pandemic, DPC patients had unlimited access to their physician.  They were engaged in healthcare prevention and maintenance conversations with their physicians.  They received superior care by having direct communication with their physician.  There were no “surprise” bills because DPC membership fees are transparent and extremely affordable.

    As with anything difficult, we can always find a silver-lining… and we must if we want to continue to grow and improve. The pandemic has made the case for DPC.  We all deserve better health care. The foundation for improved health outcomes lies in the rebuilding of a solid physician-patient relationship.  How we get through it all… will always depend on… who we get through it all with.

    >>LEARN MORE ABOUT ROOTS HEALTH DPC<<

    >>Click here to call ROOTS now 708-613-7916<<

    Open Enrollment – Information

    2021-05-08T12:59:32+00:00October 14th, 2020|Copays, Deductibles, Direct Primary Care, Family Practice, Membership, Prescription Costs|

     

    OPEN ENROLLMENT…. IS JUST AROUND THE CORNER!
    Whether your health insurance is through your employer or you have a private policy, you’re headed for open enrollment. This is when insurers make cost and benefit changes that will be effective January 1 st . Your insurer is required to notify you in writing of upcoming plan benefit changes. Take the time to study those changes and the benefit details in any plan you are considering for your 2021 coverage. The choice you make will be in effect through December 31, 2021 unless you have a qualifying event, (such as loss of coverage) that allows you to change coverage mid-year.

    Here are three common changes to look for:

    1. Increased Costs: An increase in your premiums and/or what you pay for medical treatment, such as: lab work, x-rays, or hospitalization. Direct primary care members receive enormous savings on labs and imaging servicess.
    2. Prescription Drugs: Two common benefit changes for the drugs you take are:
      i. They are no longer covered. Direct primary care members are offered steeply discounted medication pricing.
      ii. The drugs have been moved to a different tier, which often means moving from a lower-cost tier, such as Brand Name, to a higher cost tier, like Specialty Drugs.
    3. Physician services. Many times with changes to insurance, patients find their physician is no longer “in-network.” Check that your specialists are still in network. Good news…direct primary care physician services are not affected by these changes.

    Choosing the plan with the highest deductible/lowest premium can save thousands of dollars per year when paired with a direct primary care membership. You never have to worry about your changes to your direct health care services regardless of benefit changes in the policy. Open enrollment only comes once per year. Make the most of it and choose the best plan to meet your health care needs.

    TRANSITIONING JOBS/ LAPSE IN HEALTH BENEFITS?
    Direct Primary Care offers an excellent opportunity to obtain health care with transparent pricing that covers the vast majority of health care needs. We recommended you maintain catastrophic coverage. Some good options are:

    1. Short-term health insurance (STHI): as of mid-2020 there were at least 9 providers of STHI in Illinois.
    2. Medical Cost Sharing Plans

    >>LEARN MORE ABOUT ROOTS HEALTH DPC<<

    >>Click here to call ROOTS now 708-613-7916<<

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