Direct Primary Care (DPC). It’s a concept that is taking off in many parts of the country as more and more people are looking to change their way of thinking on how to approach their personal health care. Now, in southeastern Colorado we are fortunate enough to have a Direct Primary Care medical center that brings the latest innovative health and wellness services to a demographic area that has been underserved. Rural Colorado is desperate for effective care that is not only affordable but also more individualized. At Regenerative Health & Wellness Medical Center it is about taking the time that is needed for patients to understand their individualized plan and what to do to obtain optimum wellness.
Regenerative Health & Wellness Medical Center is located in downtown Holly and provides Specialty Services as well as Direct Primary Care that is nearly single-handedly helping the people in that community and for many miles around Holly become healthier for much less money, oftentimes, than they have paid in the past---in the old health system of insurance premiums, co-pays, and outrageous clinic and hospital fees.
It's a bold, refreshing approach to medical care that is built on the provider-patient relationship. Renee Weakley, FNP-C provides Direct Primary Care for patients at Regenerative Health & Wellness Medical Center. With the DPC model of care Renee is able to slow down, remove any distractions and spend the extra time attending to patient’s medical concerns and needs.
Jacob Holdren, the owner of Regenerative Health & Wellness Medical Centers believes that Direct Primary Care is the way to create “Wellness Clinics” instead of “Sick Clinics.” Healthcare doesn’t need to be complicated and with DPC they are able to put the focus back on the patient.
So, how exactly does Regenerative Health & Wellness Medical Center operate and what kind of health services do they offer?
First, their Direct Primary Care model of healthcare puts patients first by getting rid of the red tape that constrains traditional practices. They happily don’t accept insurance and Holdren says this keeps the overhead low which in return allows them to put the savings back on the patient. Instead of a fee-for-service model where you are charged co-pays, deductibles and extensive office visit charges, DPC uses a monthly membership model that allows the clinic to cut down on wait times, remove obstacles for care, and allows patients to spend the time with the provider. This allows the patient to receive a more elevated experience in primary care.
It is still recommended that patients continue to carry insurance for major medical services, such as with a high-deductible plan and health savings account. Medical insurance was not intended to cover preventative health services. We don’t use our car insurance to cover oil changes or regular maintenance but rather major claims, this is the same for health insurance.
That being said, if you do have insurance, you can use it to pay for outside medications, labs, imaging, specialists visits, hospitalizations, etc., even as a patient of Regenerative Health and Wellness. The only difference is that Regenerative Health & Wellness does not directly bill insurance, and insurance does not play a role in paying the membership to the practice.”
Unfortunately, if a patient has Health First Colorado or Medicaid they are not allowed to participate in a Direct Care Program.
The monthly memberships at Regenerative Health & Wellness depends on the patients age group. The memberships range from $15 per month for Children 0-18 to $100 per month for adults 65+ years old. All membership plans receive an unlimited number of office visits; access to providers via phone, email, or telehealth; extended office visits; annual wellness visits; acute injuries or illnesses; care of chronic medical conditions; women’s health; sports physicals; discounted generic medications; discounted labs; annual panels; discounted X-rays; discounted supplements; and an array of specialized personal services.
Direct Primary Care clinics such as Regenerative Health & Wellness are transforming how health care is paid for and delivered. It puts patients and physicians in charge of healthcare decisions by removing insurance from the doctor-patient relationship.
