New Breed Of Health Care
local doctor’s flat-fee clinic hopes to inspire change
Eric Larson, photos by Leah Dunbar |
My roommate recently injured himself; pretty badly, too. During a rebound attempt in a pickup basketball game, he landed at just the right angle – or wrong angle, I suppose –and completely ripped his Achilles tendon in two. The following surgery and recovery period was brutal, both physically and, more dauntingly, financially. Even with health insurance, the total price for everything – including overhead, underwriting, and billing – was surprisingly higher than normal.
But that’s a story that’s been told before; even more so in the past few years.
The steep price increase in health insurance has affected hundreds of thousands nationwide, resulting in many simply not being able to afford it anymore. A 2009 NPR report broke down the percentage of residents in each state without health insurance, and Wisconsin weighed in as having 10.4 percent of its residents under the age of 65 uninsured.
To Eau Claire family physician David J. Usher, that was enough motivation to branch out into his own private practice – offering physician care for a flat, no-nonsense fee.
“Big health care is bound by big government and big insurance rules and regulations,” he told me. “This has been a disadvantage to folks with high deductible or no insurance.”
His new clinic, ReforMedicine, will eliminate all “middle man” fees. The model of operation, he says, will instead provide a secure place for primary care where patients will know exactly what kind of costs they’re facing – no surprises.
“Everyone gets the same low fees/prices, but everyone is expected to pay directly the day of service,” he says. “By not having to pay for billing/collections services, we can keep our costs low.”
The clinic, which will officially open its doors in Menomonie in September, is available to anyone. Patients can call to schedule an appointment, he says, or just walk in.
And while the practice may seem a bit “back alley” to some, Usher says the simplicity of it is its main advantage. As the clinic’s website states: “It’s a simple idea, but one not many people are used to.”
A long-time physician at Luther Midelfort in Eau Claire (where he’s worked in Bariatric and family care practice since 1999), Usher says his upcoming departure has garnered positive feedback from colleagues – many of whom, he says, share a similar view.
“I believe health care reform has to be led by folks who are willing to embrace real change,” he says. “The direct pay model has the potential to truly reform the way medical care is delivered. … I want to serve those folks looking for high value, lower cost medical care.”
That being said, Usher doesn’t fancy himself as a rogue roses-and-rainbows type hero; rather, he’s just a qualified guy who understands people’s frustration with health care and is willing to make things a little easier (and more affordable).
“I think we have the finest health care system in the world,” he says. “But, government-imposed regulations have increased costs and put obstacles in the way of people with limited or no health insurance. (ReforMedicine) will give an opportunity to folks who haven’t gotten the health care they want.”
ReforMedicine will officially be open to patients on September 12, and in the meantime you can check the website at ReforMedicine.com. Phone: (715) 231-3040 Email: info@reformedicine.com
