FAQs
You can find the answers to some of the most frequently asked questions below. If you would like more information, please call our Office Manager, Randi, at 540-416-9656.
Membership Medicine and You
Membership medicine (sometimes referred to as “Direct Primary Care”) is an exciting and rapidly growing model to provide primary care that emphasizes wellness and disease prevention without the costly interference of health insurance companies. Instead, our patients pay us directly through a convenient and affordable flat monthly fee.
This allows me to keep the practice small and provide you with highly accessible, personalized, and preventive care when you need it. It’s like having your doctor available at the touch of a button. My focus on ensuring a strong and satisfying doctor-patient relationship is the key to helping you stay healthy. (This exam is in addition to insurance- or Medicare- covered annual wellness visits, and with patient wellness and communication support, results in a far more connected version of primary care).
In fact, it’s the way I’ve always wanted and expected to practice medicine!
You will see and feel the difference immediately when you visit McCain Whole Health Care. You will experience very short if any wait times to see me. I can take the time to address your health concerns and questions with me; your office visits will never feel rushed. Because my practice is limited to just a few hundred, not thousands, of patients, I really get to know my patients so I can take a more proactive role in your health and wellness – and be there when you need me.
My goal is to provide you and your family with an experience that will not just meet, but exceed, your expectations for a doctor’s office.
Your membership covers all of the primary care services I offer.
It also focuses on nutrition, fitness and exercise, lifestyle management, mental wellness, stress management, health coaching, and chronic disease management. The result is a customized wellness plan to guide you in achieving and maintaining optimum health and disease prevention.
Also, I can provide a great amount of care and care coordination by phone, email and text, including virtual visits when appropriate.
I am available to discuss urgent concerns nights and weekends when needed. I am working hard to create a practice where you can reach me when you need me, without having to jump through many hoops!
You will enjoy greater convenience and peace of mind. You may also find a reduced need for visits to specialists and the emergency department.
People of all ages benefit from the value-added services at McCain Whole Health Care.
It works especially well for:
Patients desiring easy and direct communication with their doctor
Patients who want a doctor to address the root cause of illness, not just treat the symptoms
Those who want to take part in improving their health and staying well
Those with high insurance premiums, high-deductible health plans or no insurance
Self-insured businesses seeking to provide their employees with affordable health care and improved wellbeing, while simultaneously reducing everyone’s healthcare spending
Appointments, Referrals and Care
This can be stressful and often confusing for patients and their families.
I will contact those providing your care to make sure they have the most accurate and up-to-date information they need to treat you. I will make courtesy visits to the hospitals where I am on staff. Plus, I will communicate with the hospitalist, review your plan of care, answer questions, and make recommendations when needed. As your health care advocate, I will communicate directly with you and your loved ones, and help you navigate the health care system.
Yes, I do. I appreciate that it is often difficult, and even expensive to get to the doctor’s office. I will see patients in their home or nursing facility, rehab facility or assisted living facility in medically appropriate situations, on a case-by-case basis.
As your primary care physician, my comprehensive training allows me to handle most of your healthcare needs. However, if you do need to see a specialist I will help you find the right doctor and coordinate your care. When making referrals, I can consult with your specialist prior to your appointment, as needed.
After your specialist visit, I will follow up to discuss any of your questions or concerns, and arrange additional testing if needed.
If you have a life-threatening emergency, call 911 immediately. A family member or caregiver can call me later so I can be in contact with the emergency room.
For urgent problems that are not emergencies, you can contact me when you need to. Often, I can diagnose and treat your need without a visit to the ER. In fact, membership medicine has been shown to result in fewer ER visits for members because I can discuss your medical needs almost any time of the day or night.
You can speak with me wherever you are and I will help with any medical conditions that can be done by “virtual visit.” If you have a condition that requires in-person evaluation and treatment, I will direct you to appropriate nearby care, and coordinate follow-up when you return home.
As a member of McCain Whole Health Care, you are never alone. Even when out of town, I will still be available by phone for your urgent needs. You will be notified by email before any vacations.
How insurance works in McCain Whole Health Care
I have chosen not to. The practice is unencumbered by the constraints and limited reimbursement from insurance plans so that I may better serve and care for my patients. There will be no charge for office visits or co-pays. You only pay the membership fee.
This model results in significant savings: money, paperwork and time. The membership fee allows me to keep overhead low and the practice small, and work for you, not the insurance company!
Yes, you do. My medical practice is NOT a health insurance program. It is very important to maintain insurance (and/or Medicare) to cover outside testing and specialists, as well as expensive, unusual and unpredictable events such as surgery, emergency care and hospitalization. BUT NOT for everyday preventive primary care! By providing you with extraordinary and connected primary care, your plan use can often be reduced.
The current insurance-based system makes primary care MORE expensive and difficult, and less effective too. My practice does the opposite.
By charging a set fee, I can spend more time with you and focus on your individual health needs to maintain and improve your health. I want you to see me as often as you need to, because my goal is healthy and happy members!
If you have an HMO and are interested in joining McCain Whole Health Care, please call us at (540) 416-9656 to discuss how membership may best work for you.
How to Join
This can be stressful and often confusing for patients and their families.
I will contact those providing your care to make sure they have the most accurate and up-to-date information they need to treat you. I will make courtesy visits to the hospitals where I am on staff. Plus, I will communicate with the hospitalist, review your plan of care, answer questions, and make recommendations when needed. As your health care advocate, I will communicate directly with you and your loved ones, and help you navigate the health care system.
Yes, I do. I appreciate that it is often difficult, and even expensive to get to the doctor’s office. I will see patients in their home or nursing facility, rehab facility or assisted living facility in medically appropriate situations, on a case-by-case basis.
As your primary care physician, my comprehensive training allows me to handle most of your healthcare needs. However, if you do need to see a specialist I will help you find the right doctor and coordinate your care. When making referrals, I can consult with your specialist prior to your appointment, as needed.
After your specialist visit, I will follow up to discuss any of your questions or concerns, and arrange additional testing if needed.
If you have a life-threatening emergency, call 911 immediately. A family member or caregiver can call me later so I can be in contact with the emergency room.
For urgent problems that are not emergencies, you can contact me when you need to. Often, I can diagnose and treat your need without a visit to the ER. In fact, membership medicine has been shown to result in fewer ER visits for members because I can discuss your medical needs almost any time of the day or night.
You can speak with me wherever you are and I will help with any medical conditions that can be done by “virtual visit.” If you have a condition that requires in-person evaluation and treatment, I will direct you to appropriate nearby care, and coordinate follow-up when you return home.
As a member of McCain Whole Health Care, you are never alone. Even when out of town, I will still be available by phone for your urgent needs. You will be notified by email before any vacations.
I expect many patients will save money at this practice. I can better manage the risks of the majority of your health issues and concerns because of my smaller practice and more connected care model.
Studies show this model of care reduces the need for unnecessary medications, more expensive testing, and unnecessary referrals to specialists. It is more likely to prevent unnecessary emergency room visits and hospitalizations. This results in saving you money and providing you better care.
Many people find they can lower the cost of their total medical care by combining a high deductible health plan with a membership practice. Doing so makes joining this practice quite beneficial. My type of practice is also a good fit for those who have no insurance.
Studies show that direct primary care can lead to:
Less dependency on medications
Fewer specialty referrals
Fewer emergency and hospital visits
Savings on labs and imaging
Less need for expensive test ordering
You won’t have any hidden costs or bills that come to you after-the-fact from the office or insurance company. By switching to a higher deductible, lower premium plan, patients may even save money.
We also have negotiated deep discounts with local labs for our patients who choose to pay cash for these services.
Absolutely. Besides acute care and chronic disease management, our focus at McCain Whole Health Care is on screenings and risk assessments, and lifestyle modifications. I want to identify and prevent disease risk factors, concentrating our efforts on your long-term health and wellness. I listen carefully to you to understand how your life, work and family may be affecting your health. Together we create a personalized plan to achieve and maintain your optimal health. Advanced diagnostic tests 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.
Yes. One of the most important aspects of personalized medicine is limiting the practice size to be able to devote more time and energy to each patient. Therefore, once we have reached the ideal practice size, we will establish a waiting list.
You are welcome to cancel your membership after 3 months with 30 days notice. We will refund memberships paid for the full year at a prorated rate.