Huntington Physician Offers New Model for Patient Care - - http://www.huntingtonNow.com
A Huntington physician has opened a family medical care practice that runs without the hassle of insurance paperwork.
Dr. Stephen Andreoni, located at 11 Stewart Ave., practices direct primary care, meaning he doesn't accept insurance for his services Instead, his patients pay a monthly subscription fee for what he calls "concierge medicine for everyone." That, he said, streamlines the process and allows him to work directly with patients, without the red tape that medical professionals and patients alike dread.
The Huntington native said that patients can call for same-day or next-day appointments; he also provides telehealth services. By limiting the volume of patients, he said that insurance companies encourage doctors to accept, he is able to focus more thoroughly on fewer people who need care.
Monthly subscription rates are $75 for adults ages 19-64, $50 for those under 19, and $115 for senior adults. Patients aren't limited to a set number of visits each month.
Andreoni said he had studied concierge practices around the country to determine fees and make his practice work here on Long Island. Concierge practices, he said, often charge a fee and bill insurance companies, adding to the cost of care. The direct-care method is an improvement over traditional practices, he said.
"First and foremost, the quality is going to exceed the traditional model," he said. "I'm more accessible, I'm going to be able to know patients better because the volume is going to be better. There's no paperwork, no problem with scheduling, no middleman."
"The other important point is that I'm primary care. If you have insurance, you can use it for specialists, blood tests and other things," he said.
Changes to how people receive care are happening around the country, he noted.
"I hope this is the future, especially primary care. It's a strong movement, but not on Long Island so much," he said. For doctors, the model he has implemented "has some inherent risks, going up against insurance companies and giant systems."
Direct care, he said, reduces costs, takes down barriers to care, and makes the doctor-patient relationship paramount.
Andreoni went to medical school at Ross University and did his residency through Brown University in Rhode Island. He is family medicine board-certified.
He offers primary and acute care, as well as home visits, providing everything from preventive care, physicals, to respiratory care, injuries, management of chronic conditions, weight control, and much more.
His website is Huntingtondpc.com
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