Because DPC is known for it’s price transparency, this is a list of our most common labs and their prices.  If you don’t see a test on here which you would like to know the price of, don’t hesitate to send Meghann an email at Meghann@golddirectcare.com.

I am writing this as a sincere thank you to the Research Team and Incite Health at the Center for Primary Care at Harvard Medical School for taking the time to visit us this summer to see and hear what Direct Primary Care is all about (Here is link to story: Harvard Medical School Team Visits Gold Direct Care). If an institution of Harvard Medical Schools caliber can get behind this model of care, the potential for growth and implementation is boundless. Hopefully, we showed their team that the simplistic model of Direct Primary Care in combination with an appropriate high deductible/Health Savings Account insurance plan accomplishes everything that the Quadruple Aim is about:

• Lower costs….even for insurers
• Better health outcomes
• Happier Doctors
• All of which lead to the most important goal….HAPPIER PATIENTS!

Hopefully our relationship with their group- as well as other medical schools- will continue to grow as we continue our efforts to get more patients, doctors, employers, insurers, and legislators to buy into an old but new model of care that actually makes sense for all. The top down approach is not working so why not ground up?

So I couldn’t not share this story about myself, MassHealth, and our completely dysfunctional healthcare system. After I left my old job to start my own Direct Care practice I needed to take on the more formidable task of finding my own health insurance that made sense for me and my family- we have two 5 year old twins. So I did what a lot of people did and went on the “Exchange” aka the “Connector” and entered all of our personal data including dates of birth, addresses, and of course estimated income. Now as I have always been an employed physician this was all new to me, but I felt that I would at least have some understanding and knowledge on how to shop for health insurance. Yet, after getting about 2/3 of the way through I put up my hands in surrender as I could not make heads or tails of anything. I can not even imagine what a lay person feels having to shop for something so convoluted and poorly organized. So I did the logical thing and called a local friend who sells other types of insurance and he connected me with a knowledgable professional that understands the health insurance market. He got me and my family what we needed at the best price possible. Then I just forgot about it….

Until yesterday September 14 2015, when I got home and checked the mail. In there was a letter from MassHealth and The Childrens Medical Security Plan that my son Cameron- not his twin sister, not my wife, not me, just Cam- had been approved for a MassHealth plan effective DECEMBER 11 2014!!!  Actually a separate letter states that “MassHealth is changing my premium payment because of a change in your family’s circumstances.” Huh???? What status change? I didn’t even know I was approved and paying a premium to them in the first place! Also enclosed was his card (as you can see in the picture above) for both medical and dental plans at a cost of $64 per month with really cheap copays- well for me that is. You may also notice that in the body of the letter there are not one, but three different numbers for me to call if I have various questions. Well I actually only have one question with two parts….1a. why in Gods name am I even getting this?! and 1b. how am I or any member of my family even close to qualifying for government subsidies??! Somehow just one of my family members qualifies for subsidized medical and dental care from our state and federal government but the rest of us do not? Clearly this is huge mistake based on some information that I input into the Connector back in January of 2015 right?

So what should I do? Should I try to game the system and dump my more expensive, current insurance for my son and take this cheaper offering for him at the cost of the taxpayers of Massachusetts? Should I just wait and see all the administrative waste that will be used to figure this out and  catch on to me and eventually correct the problem in another year or two? The answer to all of these questions for me is a resounding NO. Instead I will write a blog article about it that a few people will likely read and just chalk it up to another Dr. Gold rant on healthcare in the US. My deep hope, however, is that at some point more people will read this and actually think!

What are other people doing with these healthcare mistakes and oversights that our government is making with your hard-earned dollars and taxes you pay? How much money is wasted if this mistake happens to 3,000 people that actually pretend they deserve the subsidy and use it? Is this what you want your money spent on? Waste? Is this really how you want your care to be delivered? Would you tolerate it if you paid an 800 dollar a month or higher premium for your families health insurance and found out that a friend paid 64 dollars a month due to a clerical error? Now do not get me wrong, I am for all people of all walks having good access to high quality, affordable healthcare, and there are ways that the government could help do this the right way. I will not get into all the gory details here, but one possible solution is working with Direct Care doctors like me and Iora Health to spend your tax dollars on something of worth- actual healthcare instead of bureaucratic, administrative waste. Now, I think I’ll go shred my sons new MassHealth card and save the state some money. I would rather stay true to the Oath I took and hope that it is spent on care for people whom actually need the assistance instead. Doubtful, but a doctor can hope right?

So this is a quick and short post, but I just wanted to write something today and dedicate it to all of the people and families who lost loved ones on 9/11. The first responders that day- the police, firefighters, EMTs, doctors, nurses- and really everyone that helped others out that day, showed the good side of people in this country.  They showed the side that cares for others and that risks their own wellbeing to help others in the face of tragedy. Too often all we see in the media is the bad side of people, but there is a really good side that sadly often gets overshadowed.

So my hope is that we find ways to “Never Forget” every day- not just 9/11. Remember what you felt like that day and try to nourish the kindness and good you witnessed on a DAILY basis -not just when tragedy strikes. That is what I hope we are doing with this type of medicine- bringing back the humanity. We need more in medicine and we need more in our daily lives. Thanks for reading and never forget.