Does my membership fee cover everything?
Your membership fee covers unlimited visits at Brazos Springs DPC , minor procedures, and access to your doctor for after hours urgent needs. Labs, imaging, are extra but are at a substantial discount with our partners. Physicians are not allowed to dispense medications in Texas and therefore medication costs are not part of our offering. However, we will help you find deep discounts on prescription medication costs through various programs. DPC fees do not cover ER visits, hospitalizations, specialist referrals or visits to any other healthcare providers.
Do you accept Health Insurance?
Happily No. Our model centers on a direct , personal relationship between you and your doctor. We see no reason for an insurer to have a voice about either the quality or the cost of your care. We forgo Insurance payments in order to save our patients from the arbitrary and intrusive decisions that come with third party payers. This direct care arrangement frees us from the typical contractual agreements that prevent physicians from offering wholesale prices on lab tests and imaging.
Is my membership to Brazos Springs DPC tax deductible?
Not at this time. Your retainer /membership fee is not yet defined as medical expense in most states including Texas, and as such is not deductible. Please confer with your tax consultant to discuss your particular circumstances.
Will I still need health Insurance for healthcare costs not covered under DPC?
Yes; We recommend that your DPC membership be paired with a High Deductible, Low Premium plan (HDLP) to cater for those costs ( ER visits, Hospitalization, Specialty Referrals, Labs, Imaging etc). We also suggest alternatives to traditional health insurance such as Medical Sharing Communities or Christian sharing ministries as they better complement DPC's mission of lowering costs.
Are there hidden fees?
No. All extra costs will be discussed upfront with you.
Are there discounts for large families?
Yes.
If I have medicare, can i still join Brazos Springs DPC?
Yes; You will need to sign a waiver declaring that neither you or your doctor ( Brazos springs DPC) will directly bill Medicare for our services. medicare will still cover any lab testing, imaging, medications or hospitalization prescribed by our office.We have opted out of medicare hence the need to enter the private medicare contract .
Do you take patients under the age of 5?
Not at this time.
What if I need medical attention while I’m away from home?
Because of our independence from the restrictions of third-party payment, we provide such non-emergent care. And since we know you well, we can streamline your non-emergent care when you’re sick and away from home. Many non-emergent illnesses can be diagnosed and treated with a simple conversation by phone, email, text or webcam. We’ll locate the nearest pharmacy and order the medications most appropriate for your circumstances.
Are my medical records ever shared with insurance carriers or pharmaceutical companies?
We maintain scrupulous standards of privacy. We are never obligated to provide any third party with a copy of your records unless you specifically ask that we do so.
How do you handle controlled substances?
We believe that chronic controlled substances ( narcotics, benzodiazepines, amphetamines etc) have a limited role in primary care and are therefore prescribed rarely and very sparingly. We believe that chronic pain requiring narcotics is best managed by a pain management specialist, but we are happy to work with you on non-narcotic options for your pain and to manage other medical conditions. We do not treat anxiety with benzodiazepines but are happy to offer other medications and techniques often successful in treating anxiety.
What if i need to cancel my membership?
We hope that we provide such great care that you never want to leave, but we understand that circumstances may change. If for any reason you choose to cancel your membership, we simply request a 30 day written notice. During that 30 days, you will maintain all your membership benefits and the same level of care.
Re-enrollment will incur a re-enrollment fee
