Navigating The Rising Costs of Healthcare
With insurance premiums on the rise this year, many of us are wondering how to manage our healthcare expenses. We want to take a moment to share some of the ways Northwest Life Medicine Clinic helps our patients save money -whether you have insurance or not.
Understanding High-Deductible Plans
Many of our patients have high-deductible insurance plans, which mean they pay thousands of dollars out-of-pocket before coverage kicks in. This is especially important to understand when it comes to lab work. The comprehensive annual panel we frequently order typically bills insurance at $2,000-$3,000 - and while this may consume a large portion of your deductible, many folks find themselves still responsible for the full cost.
At Northwest Life Medicine Clinic, we offer a much more affordable alternative to our patients: you can use the same lab (Quest), and with our discounted provider pricing, we can run that same comprehensive panel your insurance bills at $2-3,000 for around $300 (see lab chart below). That's a significant difference. This reduced pricing is automatically available for patients without insurance or those using health-sharing plans. To help you understand what to expect, here's a breakdown of our common lab costs:
Transparent Pricing
From our experience, one of the most stressful aspects of insurance is confusion around what will (or will not) be covered or what unexpected bills might arrive. Our clinic is transparent about pricing - we can tell you upfront how much your labs will cost, what your visit will run, and the price of any supplements you would like to purchase. If the numbers we give you don't work for you, we'll work together to adjust your treatment plan. For inquiries about pricing, just give us a call (or refer to the fee schedule listed below).
A treatment plan is only effective if it's actually feasible - financially, physically, emotionally, and practically. We take all of these things into consideration. We want you to be successful on your health journey.
Whole-Person Medicine Saves Time and Money
Taking time to truly listen to our patients is where the heart and art of our medicine comes into play - and it often saves both time and money. Your whole body is connected: digestive symptoms could stem from hormones, nervous system dysregulation, or structural imbalances. By listening to the complete picture, asking questions, and connecting the dots, we identify underlying problems faster. Because we take the time to explore these interconnected pieces, you won't find yourself bouncing between (and paying) multiple specialists who each focus on a single, separate body system.
Because we take a dynamic, systems-based approach to health assessment, we account for physical, emotional, and social factors in each of our visits - in our experience, this helps folks feel better, faster.
Smart Supplementation
Supplements can quickly become a money drain - but they can also be key to healing. We work hard to find the right balance between these, ensuring you're not wasting money on ineffective or excessive supplementation, and streamlining your supplement inventory whenever possible. If something isn't improving how you feel or what your labs show, it's not worth taking.
Our Life Medicine Plan
For those seeking comprehensive year-round support or proactive preventative care, we offer our Life Medicine Plan. This customizable plan provides points toward all our services, plus clinic and health navigation support to ensure you're maximizing your benefits. You pay a predictable monthly amount for the Life Medicine Plan (see pricing below), which makes budgeting healthcare both straightforward and simple.
Acute Care When You Need It
On the other end of the spectrum, many people are surprised to learn we're here for acute situations too. We can be your first stop for urinary tract infections, respiratory infections, and more. Often, one of our doctors can see you quickly, prescribe supplements or medications as needed, and even order STAT imaging in certain situations. We've saved countless patients from costly and unnecessary ER and urgent care visits through a quick 15 or 30-minute acute care appointment at our clinic.
We're Here to Help
While insurance premiums continue to rise, we remain committed to supporting each of you. We're always happy to discuss cost navigation and create a plan that works for your situation.