Why I Don’t Take Insurance
Why don’t you take insurance?”
This is one of the very first questions I get asked when I tell people about EmpowerYOU Medical Wellness.
And the answer is actually pretty simple:
Because taking insurance would limit my ability to provide care in the way I believe my patients deserve.
Think about the last time you went to the doctor. Maybe it was for a checkup, a wellness visit, or to talk about a specific concern.
Did your physician seem hurried? Did you feel like there was enough time to really talk? Did you leave remembering something you wanted to ask, but never got the chance?
Time and time again, I hear from friends, family members, and patients:
“My doctor didn’t ask about...”
“My doctor didn’t explain...”
“My doctor didn’t have time to talk about...”
And let me tell you something: most of the time, it is not your doctor’s fault.
I know because I was that doctor.
For the majority of my career, I practiced within the traditional insurance-based healthcare system. And especially in primary care, the amount physicians are expected to accomplish in a visit is enormous.
We are trying to listen to your concerns, review your medications and labs, address preventive care, manage chronic conditions, answer questions, document the visit, place orders and referrals in 15-30min depending on the visit type. To still have time to talk to you about nutrition, exercise, sleep, stress, weight, and all of the other things that have a tremendous impact on your health is impossible.
There simply isn't enough time.
As my career progressed, I found myself being asked to do more and more: see more patients, complete charts quickly, keep up with an overflowing inbox, meet quality metrics, AND still provide thoughtful, personalized care. The latter which is the thing I wanted to do most.
And I began to realize something.
I couldn't practice medicine the way I wanted to practice medicine within that system.
I didn't go into medicine for the paycheck. (Trust me.)
I went into medicine, specifically Family Medicine, because I love getting to know people. I love understanding their whole picture. I want to help people prevent disease, improve their health, feel better, and live their best lives. And I couldn't do that in 15 or 20 minutes.
Sometimes I felt like we barely got through the life updates before it was time to move on to the next patient. So when I created EmpowerYOU Medical Wellness, I made a very intentional decision to do things differently.
That is why I don't take insurance.
Not taking insurance allows me to spend the time I believe good weight and wellness care actually requires. It allows me to sit down with you and ask more than, “What do you eat?” It gives us time to talk about your nutrition, movement, muscle mass, sleep, stress, medications, medical history, hormones, environment, routines, challenges, and goals.
It gives me time to listen.
It gives me time to educate.
And most importantly, it gives us time to figure out together what is realistic and sustainable for you.
I recognize that paying outside of insurance is not possible or the right choice for everyone. I don't take that lightly. But I also don't want to recreate the same rushed model of care that I left simply so I can say that I accept insurance.
EmpowerYOU was created to offer something different.
More time. More conversation. More personalization. More partnership.
My initial visits are intentionally 60-90minutes long. I know! But, understanding your health, your history, your lifestyle, and what is actually getting in your way takes time.
My goal when you walk out the door is feeling heard, supported, informed and excited for the future!
So, I would love to know: When was the last time you left a doctor's appointment feeling truly heard?
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