by Charles Katebi
Lovell, WY- The Wyoming Liberty Group testified in favor of Direct Primary Care before the Joint Labor, Health, and Social Services Interim Committee this week, an innovative healthcare payment plan that if exempted from state insurance regulations would expand health access at a fraction of the cost of traditional health insurance.
"Direct Primary Care has lowered healthcare costs for patients in other states because it aligns the interests of patients with their doctors," said Charlie Katebi, WyLiberty's Healthcare Policy Analyst. "When patients pay a single fee for their care, it is in their doctor's interest to keep them as healthy as possible, as cost effectively as possible."
Under Wyoming's insurance statutes, healthcare providers that offer payment plans are regulated as insurance. Under a Direct Primary Care agreement however, patients pay a flat monthly fee and in return, their doctors provides medical services that are laid out clearly in a contract.
"State insurance regulations threaten to keep Direct Primary Care out of Wyoming," said Katebi. "Wyoming's Department of Insurance considers these providers "risk bearing entities" and subject to their authority. This would force Direct Primary Care providers to comply with all the rules and regulations that have made health insurance so expensive."
The draft bill, in its current form, would allow physicians to contract directly with patients to provide "routine health services."
"We shouldn't be restricting Direct Primary Care to routine services," said Representative Eric Barlow. "These providers will be offering all types of services in the future and this bill shouldn't tie their hands."
"Committee members see the benefit of Direct Primary Care and worry the draft's language restricts participating physicians," said Katebi. "Amending the bill's language would remove legal barriers and allow this practice to help make healthcare affordable in Wyoming just as it has in other states."
The Committee will consider amending the bill at October's Interim Committee Meeting in Buffalo, WY.
For more information or to set up an interview, please contact:
Charlie Katebi, Health Care Policy Analyst
307-632-7020