Frequently Asked Questions
What is DPC?
Direct Primary Care (DPC) is an innovative alternative payment model improving access to high functioning healthcare with a simple, flat, affordable membership fee. No fee-for-service payments. No third party billing. The defining element of DPC is an enduring and trusting relationship between a patient and his or her primary care provider. Patients have extraordinary access to a physician of their choice and physicians are accountable first and foremost to their patients. DPC is embraced by health policymakers on the left and right and creates happy patients and happy doctors all over the country!
What is Buzz MD?
Buzz MD is the first Direct Primary Care practice in the Bayside, Bay Terrace area. We offer healthcare that is thorough, comprehensive, easily accessible, affordable and personal.
Is concierge medicine the same as Direct Primary Care?
The terms are often used interchangeably and essentially refer to the same principles. Direct Primary Care is a healthcare model focused on putting the patient first. That means treating them when they need it, never rushing patients through appointments, and being proactive with healthcare treatment plans. The doctor-patient relationship is just as the name suggests – direct. Direct Primary Care clinics don’t accept insurance, rather they choose to work directly with the patient, providing wholesale labs, discounted prescription prices, and other costs savings along the way.
How is Buzz MD different from other practices?
We have cut the red tape of bureaucracy. The restrictions that typically leave physicians in a traditional healthcare setting buried in nonsense paperwork are lifted through Direct Care, allowing us to spend our time where it really counts: with patients. We have returned primary care to its root values of clinical excellence for and compassionate knowledge of every patient. In every aspect of our care, we promise accessibility, convenience, and affordability.
Will I benefit from Buzz MD if I don’t require frequent medical attention?
Absolutely. Many people believe they should only treat illness when it happens, instead of identifying and preventing disease before it starts. The focus at Buzz MD is not to only see you when you are ill, but to concentrate efforts on long-term health and wellness. We will carefully listen to you to understand how your life, work and family may be affecting your health. And we will work with you to come up with a personalized plan to achieve your optimal health and maintain your health goals. Plus there are advanced diagnostic tests that can help us identify risk factors and health issues before they cause disease, saving you money, time, suffering and higher costs in the long run. Unlike the traditional practice environment, we have the time to deliver this type of comprehensive and detailed care.
And if you're looking for convenience and peace of mind knowing your doctor is easy to reach, talk with and/or visit when something comes up unexpectedly, maybe even averting a trip to the emergency room, that is an invaluable benefit, too.
Does Buzz MD accept health insurance?
No. Perhaps the most critical distinction in our model of care centers on a direct, personal relationship between you and your doctor. That directness carries over to our business model as well. Our practice is designed to be unencumbered by the constraints and limited reimbursement of insurance plans so that we may better serve and care for our patients. You will NOT be charged for office visits or co-pays. You only pay the membership fee. Our model results in significant savings: money, paperwork and time. The membership fee allows us to keep our overhead low, our practice small, and we work directly for our patients, not the insurance company!
As a patient of Buzz MD, will I still need health insurance?
Yes. We recommend our patients continue a major medical plan with a high deductible and health savings account to ensure financial help should hospitalization or referral to a specialist be necessary. We’re happy to refer you to insurance representatives who can help customize an insurance plan to your specific needs.
If I have Medicare, can I still join Buzz MD?
Yes. You need only sign a one-time waiver declaring that neither you nor your doctor will directly bill Medicare for our services. Medicare will still cover any laboratory testing, imaging, medications, or hospitalizations prescribed by our offices.
Is my membership to Buzz MD tax deductible?
Unfortunately not at this time. However, legislators are working on this and have introduced a bill to the Senate Finance Committee, which would potentially allow tax deductions for direct primary care fees.
What happens if I need to go to the hospital or see a specialist?
In providing superb care and greater access, we seek to prevent or reduce hospitalizations and specialty referrals. In instances where those types of care are required, we will certainly continue to work with your hospitalist during your hospital stay as well as work closely with any specialist. In some cases, depending on the level of care and the sorts of expertise required, we may rely on those specialized caregivers to manage your treatment.
Can I contact my physician after hours? And how?
By all means, yes! , you may call your physician any day, at any hour. You can also arrange for home visits, schedules permitting.
What if I need medical attention while I’m away from home?
Naturally we provide such care – yet another freedom we enjoy together as a result of our independence from the restrictions of third-party payment. Because we know you well, we can streamline your care when you’re sick away from home. Many illnesses can be diagnosed and treated with a simple conversation by phone, email, text or webcam. We’ll locate the nearest pharmacy and order the medications most appropriate for your circumstances.
Are my medical records ever shared with insurance carriers or pharmaceutical companies?
We maintain scrupulous standards of privacy. We are never obligated to provide any third party with a copy of your records unless you specifically ask that we do so.
How will I know if the doctors of Buzz MD are right for me?
Come get to know us! Schedule a free,meet and greet session to discuss your healthcare needs. It’s the only reasonable way to begin what we trust will be a long, productive, healthy relationship. Get in touch here!