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Yesterday afternoon, I had the privilege of speaking at the annual Pennsylvania Homecare Association conference, held at the Lancaster Convention Center at the Marriott. The Association invited me to talk about my experience being a physician that does housecalls. Below is the transcript of my 30-minute speech -- Dr. Rohal
I want to extend a sincere thank you to the Pennsylvania Homecare Association for having me this afternoon. My name is Doctor Patrick Rohal. I’m a family physician here in Lancaster.
Cost is the number one barrier to engaging your doctor. Direct Primary Care is an emerging practice model that breaks down that barrier.
Just in time for your Halloween candy hangover, today is November 1st. This day has been gaining infamy in recent years as the day that Healthcare.gov opens for business for the purchasing of health insurance plans for the following year. I make it a habit of trolling local media for stories related to the Exchange, and I have to say that I’m struck this year by the relative paucity of news coverage.
These are exciting times for CovenantMD! We are happy to announce that we are opening a new office in January, 2019 in York. The office will be located at 2811 N. George Street. CovenantMD York will be staffed by Stacey Denlinger, D.O.
Yesterday, I was privileged to accept a Small Business Development Award from SCORE Lancaster/Lebanon. Through SCORE, I have been privileged to work with a mentor, Hugh McMaster, who has guided me through the inception of CovenantMD in 2015 and its growth along the way. The following is the text of my acceptance speech.
Tis’ the season. And I’m not talking about the Holidays. It’s open enrollment season. The Pennsylvania insurance exchange opened for sign-ups on Wednesday, Nov 1st. This year, the enrollment season is shorter, ending December 15.
Health is not a commodity.
Risk factors are not disease.
Aging is not an illness.
Quality is more than metrics.
Come find out about CovenantMD and Direct Primary Care. We offer same and next-day appointments; cell, text, and email access to your doctor; after hours, weekend, and holiday coverage, and discounts on medications, labwork, and radiology. We're reclaiming the doctor/patient relationship! Direct Primary Care pairs well with high-deductible health insurance plans and sharing plans. We are also a great option for small business owners feeling the squeeze of rising health insurance costs.
On Saturday, a married couple who are business owners signed up for CovenantMD. They emailed us shortly after signing up, and I would like to share with you some of their comments (used with their permission): “Our new rates came in from the Affordable Care Act with a whopping price tag of $23,925/year premium, $9,000/year annual deductible, and a $14,300/year maximum out-of-pocket. That said, if we continue with regular health insurance, we would lose our business."
Dear Patients and Friends,
We have three events coming up in the next two weeks. Feel free to join us, and please invite anyone you think might be interested:
"Direct Primary Care: An Innovative Health Benefit for Employees"
by Patrick Rohal, MD, FAAFP, Friday, November 4, 2 to 3:30 PM, Lancaster Chamber of Commerce, Southern Market Center, 100 S. Queen Street, Lancaster.
So why DPC? Why would a doctor leave the security of the fee-for-service world, with its hospital-owned practices and cadillac benefits? Or why would a patient choose to enroll in a DPC practice if they have health insurance that “already pays for” primary care. If I can boil it down to one reason, here it is: the doctor/patient relationship. It’s just hard, really impossible, to prioritize that relationship while both doctor and patient are on the treadmill of insurance-based primary care.