How to SAVE Money and Get BETTER Healthcare in America

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It’s no secret that many Americans are unhappy with the healthcare system. Frustrations over the quality of care, high costs, and limited options have left people searching for alternatives. If this resonates with you, there’s good news—there are better ways to manage your healthcare needs.

In this post, I’ll introduce two alternatives to traditional health insurance that can give you a more affordable and personalized healthcare experience: Direct Primary Care (DPC) and Health Shares.

1. Direct Primary Care: Affordable and Accessible Healthcare

If you’re looking to take care of about 90% of your healthcare needs in an affordable and personalized way, Direct Primary Care (DPC) is worth considering.

What is Direct Primary Care?

DPC doctors operate on a subscription-based model, where you pay a flat monthly fee for access to their services. It’s like having a concierge doctor—without the steep price tag.

Benefits of Direct Primary Care

• Affordable Monthly Cost: Flat-rate pricing ensures you know exactly what you’re paying.
• Extended Appointment Times: Unlike traditional doctors who might spend only 7–15 minutes with you, DPC doctors spend 30 minutes to an hour (or more) to address your health concerns thoroughly.
• Convenient Access: Many DPC doctors offer same-day or next-day appointments and even provide their personal phone numbers for direct communication. Some may even make house calls!
• Discounted Services: DPC practices often provide significant discounts on labs, imaging, and other services.
• Personalized Care: Since they don’t work through insurance, DPC doctors can recommend treatments and care tailored specifically to you—without the constraints of what an insurance plan will or won’t cover.

Who is DPC Ideal For?

DPC is an excellent option for:

• Families with kids who frequently need check-ups or minor care.
• Healthy individuals looking for affordable preventive care.
• People managing chronic conditions who need a doctor to work closely with them over time.
• Basically, it’s great for everyone 🙂

Availability of DPC Doctors

The availability of DPC practices can vary depending on where you live. Larger cities and suburban areas are seeing a rise in DPC clinics, while rural areas may have fewer options. Even if you have to drive a bit farther, the benefits of personalized care may be well worth it.

2. Health Shares: Affordable Solutions for Major Medical Expenses

While DPC can cover most of your routine healthcare needs, what about big-ticket items like hospital stays, surgeries, or unexpected accidents? That’s where health shares come in.

What Are Health Shares?

Health shares are nonprofit organizations that offer an alternative to traditional insurance. Members contribute a monthly amount to a shared fund, which is then used to help pay for major medical expenses.

How Do Health Shares Work?

Here’s a simple example:

• Let’s say you have an accident and require a hospital stay and surgery costing $50,000.
• You’d pay a predetermined amount, called a Member Responsibility Amount (MRA) or Initial Unshareable Amount (IUA) (e.g., $1,000).
• The health share would pay the remaining $49,000.

Key Features of Health Shares

• Nonprofit Model: Most of your monthly contribution goes directly to other members’ medical needs, creating a community-based approach to healthcare.
• Cost Savings: Health shares are often significantly cheaper than traditional insurance.
• Flexibility: You can choose your doctors and hospitals without being limited by a network.

Important Things to Know About Health Shares

• Pre-Existing Conditions: Most health shares won’t pay for pre-existing conditions during the first year of membership. In subsequent years, they may provide limited sharing for these conditions, with caps that increase over time.
• Membership Requirements: Health shares are typically best for healthy individuals under 65 years old.

Why Combine DPC and Health Shares?

Using a combination of Direct Primary Care and a health share can give you comprehensive, affordable healthcare coverage:

• DPC takes care of 90% of your everyday healthcare needs, including wellness visits, minor illnesses, and chronic care.
• Health Shares help with major, unexpected medical expenses like surgeries, hospital stays, and more.

In my family, we’ve adopted this combination, and it’s saved us thousands of dollars. In fact, with both a DPC membership and a health share, we’re paying less than half of what we used to pay for traditional health insurance—and we’re enjoying a much better healthcare experience.

Ready to Learn More?

If you’re tired of the rising costs and frustrations of health insurance, it’s time to explore these alternatives. For more details about health shares—how they work, their benefits, and what to look for—be sure to download my free guide: The Health Share Guide and Essential Checklist.

Together, Direct Primary Care and health shares can provide you with affordable, personalized healthcare solutions that fit your needs.

What do you think of these alternatives? Have you tried a DPC doctor or health share? Share your experience in the comments below!