The Economics of Your Health

I often talk about being your partner in your healthcare journey. That partnership extends to helping you understand your options regarding prevention and treatment, including the costs associated with both. Unfortunately, many women avoid care because they are unsure of what their health insurance covers and they’re afraid they can’t afford some of the care. I hope this blog answers some of those questions, alleviates your fears, and helps you realize the importance of your health.

Breaking down the economics of your health can feel overwhelming. Still, it’s important for women to understand insurance and healthcare expenses—your health really depends on it! That’s why I partnered with an expert in the economics of healthcare who is ready to educate you about this important topic. Amy O’Meara Chambers, J.D. is the Chief Operation Officer and co-founder of HealthBridge Financial, Inc. She has more than 25 years of experience working in the healthcare industry as an employee benefits attorney, executive, and entrepreneur. Amy is a patient at true. Women’s Health and she wants to empower you with the knowledge to make good decisions about your health—just like she did!

Why choose true.?

Amy understands the financial commitment of joining one of the programs at true. Women’s Health, and she highlighted the three main reasons why she signed up with true. when we opened our doors:

1. It was time to make time for her own health. Amy started having smaller health issues and wanted to get them under control before becoming much more significant. At 51, she was perimenopausal and wanted to see an expert in the field of midlife and menopause.
2. It made sense financially. Amy wanted to get her health in order, and she wanted to do it NOW. She felt if she could take care of the smaller issues before they become more significant problems, that would make good financial sense.
3. Amy deserved the best for her healthcare. She knew she was valuable to her family, friends, and co-workers, and she wanted to be around those people for a long time.

The Statistics

Amy also shared two very eye-opening statistics about people who avoid care because of finances:

1. “When people skip or delay care, necessary care becomes three times more expensive to treat.”
2. “Two-thirds of Americans skip care because they are on a high-deductible health plan.”

Amy summed up her decision to join true. by pointing out that when you pay for concierge care, you’ve already paid for your care upfront, so you’re going to make sure you get your money’s worth! She also believes that investing in your health now helps you save money in the long run: Take care of yourself now and avoid being on costly medications in the future.

It’s also important to remember that you can use your Flexible Spending Account (FSA) funds or your Health Savings Account (HSA) funds for services you receive at true. Although membership fees are not eligible for reimbursement, exam fees, sick visits, wellness visits, and other services are covered by most insurances and can be paid with FSA or HSA dollars. Also, as a true. Women’s Health patient, you will receive an end-of-year statement that lists all of the services you received throughout the year, which will allow you to reimburse yourself from your HSA or FSA accounts for those services.

Which program is right for me?

To help you decide which true. Women’s Health wellness program is right for you; let’s take a quick look at the three main programs we offer:

• Complete Wellness Program ($200/month): This is for patients who want a total wellness solution with unlimited office visits and 24-hour access to a provider, plus priority scheduling and frequent check-ins from staff members. This is ideal for women that want to focus on preventative care and ease of service under one location.
• Basic Wellness Program ($50/month): Basic Wellness is ideal for women who want to take charge of their wellness and prefer a fee-per-visit healthcare structure. This plan is a wellness solution that offers personalized care, priority scheduling, and provider access.
• Cancer Wellness Program ($50/month): Even years after completing treatment, survivors may still have lingering symptoms, concerns, and barriers to living their life to the fullest. This program focuses on helping women recover their quality of life after cancer treatment—no matter how long it has been. We provide education and an evidence-based plan for improving and optimizing your health and wellness after cancer treatment.

One-Time Visit Options:

We also offer three one-time-visit options if you don’t need an intensive wellness program at this time in your life:

• Empower Wellness: This wellness offering is for women 25 and younger and includes a physical exam and any indicated preventative testing. It also includes support for hormone-related concerns such as family planning, acne, migraine headaches, PMS, pelvic pain, and sexual health.
• Silver Wellness: This one-time offering is for women 65 and older and includes a physical exam and any indicated preventative testing. You will also receive support with a focus on healthy aging, such as the risk for osteoporosis, as well as menopause-related concerns such as vaginal dryness, painful intercourse, and bladder urgency.
• Cancer Wellness: The true. Women’s Health Cancer Wellness visit focuses on helping women recover their quality of life after cancer treatment. During your one visit, we will provide education and a plan for improving and optimizing your health and wellness after cancer treatment.

Breakdown of the economics of your health

As you can see, we have various wellness programs to help you live your best life. We know it can be overwhelming to look at the economics of your health, but we are here to help. If you’re having trouble deciding if your health is worth the cost of one of our plans, ask yourself the following five questions:

1. Do the math: How much out-of-pocket did you spend on your healthcare last year?
2. Are you better off health-wise this year than last year?
3. How long was your appointment with your Primary Care Physician (PCP) last year?
4. Does your doctor/healthcare team know your goals? Do you know your wellness goals?
5. Did you receive a personalized wellness plan from your PCP?

Think about your answers to these questions, and if you’re not happy with your answers, give us a call at true. Women’s Health. We are here to help you understand the economics of your health and give you excellent care. We want to be your partner in your healthcare journey and help you figure out a way to make that journey the best it can be.