Employee health care options that supplement health insurance

For individuals, health insurance premiums have spiked in recent years. In 2020, the average person paid $380 per month for single coverage premiums. That number is even higher for families, with the average family paying $1,500 or more for their monthly premium. Even if some people can afford this, there are other issues with some health insurance policies, like hefty premiums and procedures that are not necessarily covered by one’s insurance policy. For employers, health insurance is also costly. On average, an employer will pay around $6,000 for single person coverage while family coverage will cost an employer around $15,000 per year.

Health savings accounts

There are three different types of health savings accounts that can be driven by both employer and employee contributions. These include HSAs (health savings accounts), FSAs (flexible spending accounts), and HRAs (health reimbursement arrangements).

If you have a high deductible health plan, you may set up an HSA through your employer or through a third-party provider. This allows you to contribute up to $3,600 per individual or $7,200 for your family. This money is pre-tax, can earn interest, and is not subject to taxes if used for qualified medical expenses.

Flexible spending accounts allow individuals and their employers to contribute up to $2,750 per year. This is typically a payroll deduction that is used to reimburse employees for their qualified medical expenses.

Lastly, an HRA is a benefitted plan that is solely eligible through an employer. Only employers contribute to these benefitted plans and an HRA is used to help an employee offset out-of-pocket health expenses.

Membership-based medical services

There are two primary options available for medical care for individuals who don’t have insurance: direct primary care and concierge medicine. Some primary care physicians offer a monthly membership fee that includes visits to a doctor’s office (where you might be seen by a nurse practitioner or other medical professional who is on hand). Sometimes, it can take quite some time to get an appointment set up. Also, these types of services do not always include monitoring, testing, and other needed health care services.

Concierge medicine is a type of service that is very affordable, costs start at $150 per month with Insight Life Care, that gives you all the treatment options that you need. Insight Life Care’s concierge medicine model includes:

Doctor appointments available within 24 hours
Unhurried appointments with a doctor, not a nurse or physician's assistant
Telemedicine whenever your need it, if you can't visit us in our private doctor's office
Remote monitoring of your blood pressure, pulse, oxygen saturation, and EKG readings
Expedited appointments with specialists when the need arises
Hospital admission and in-hospital care by Dr. Chris Nussbaum, a Fellow of Hospital Medicine
Your physician's personal cell phone number, which you can text, call, and video chat anytime of day
Home/office visits - your doctor will come to you

Another benefit of Insight Life Care’s concierge medical service is that if you prefer your privacy, patient visits at the clinic are truly private, as you will be the only patient in the clinic for the duration of your visit.

Short-term health insurance

For some people who are in between health insurance, there are plans available that are known as short-term health insurance. Sometimes, short-term health insurance is less expensive than comprehensive health plans, with some plans costing as little as $60 per month. Generally speaking, short-term health insurance is not a good fit for people who have pre-existing conditions.

Telemedicine

Telemedicine is an option that is included with most concierge medical services, but some healthcare providers offer telehealth as a standalone option. There are many benefits to telemedicine:

Some healthcare providers offer telemedicine as a lower-cost alternative to an in-person visit.
For people who are just needing a doctor’s consultation or a prescription, telemedicine is often more convenient.
Patients don’t have to be in a waiting room before their telemedicine appointment.

Many telemedicine companies accept insurance if you have it. The price of a virtual doctor visit is often far less. In 2017, a study found that the average cost for a telemedicine appointment was about $80 compared to $150 or more for a doctor’s appointment.

Insight Life Care offers unlimited telemedicine appointments to membership patients at no additional cost, which means you can have an appointment from the comfort and ease of your own home or while you are traveling out of state or country. Individuals who are not members of Insight Life Care can schedule one time telemedicine consultations for only $50. Click here to schedule an appointment today!

Health and wellness education

If you use a concierge medicine service, your provider can educate you on health and wellness decisions that will improve your overall health and reduce the likelihood of illness. Offering an employee wellness program can help improve the health of a workforce. In 2019, about 84% of employers had some sort of employee wellness program that helped educate employees on:

Healthy diet and nutrition.
The benefits of stopping unhealthy habits, like smoking.
Habits like good posture, exercise, as well as other lifestyle and behavioral coaching.

Some people who lack adequate health coverage also will sometimes make lifestyle choices that improve their overall health. A healthy diet can reduce the risk of obesity, heart disease, diabetes and certain types of cancers.

Finding a health care option that is right for you

Finding the balance of affordable health care that is convenient and hassle-free will take a little bit of time and vary based upon your needs. A concierge medical service can often meet all of your needs whether or not you have insurance.

Insight Life Care takes the guesswork out of your costs. We offer a membership-based primary direct care model that makes healthcare affordable and convenient. We have plans that cost $150/month, $250/month, and we even have a program for employers to help their employees get the healthcare that they need. Some of the benefits of our membership-based concierge direct primary care model include:

Your costs are controlled: For $150/month, you have unlimited access to a doctor with over 30 years of experience practicing internal medicine in Tampa Bay. In our office, we can cover 80-90% of your healthcare needs. If we encounter an issue that needs specialist intervention, we will schedule, manage, and follow up with all outside providers for you.
More time with your doctor: Developing a personal relationship with your doctor enables you to truly engage in your healthcare. Also, having a doctor you can call 24/7 helps to keep you out of urgent care clinics and emergency rooms. It’s like having a doctor in the family!
No health insurance needed: We provide the same level of care to our patients regardless of their health insurance status. Although our services are not a replacement for health insurance, we can meet most of your healthcare needs in our office for a low monthly cost. For our uninsured patients, we have negotiated cash prices with outside providers to make your entire healthcare experience more affordable. Contact us to learn more.
Accessible visit options: Our doctor and nurse will see you wherever you are, whether via telemedicine, an in-office visit, or a home doctor visit in Tampa. We understand that traveling to our office is not always convenient or available to you - just let us know which visit option works best for you.

MEET DR. NUSSBAUM

Chris Nussbaum, MD, FHM founded Insight Life Care after 25 years of primary care and hospital practice in order to create an environment where patients are at the forefront of care. Click here to learn more »

What is Concierge Medicine?

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Benefits of Concierge Medicine

Employer Sponsored Direct Primary Care

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