Membership Questions
The fee covers excellent primary care with as many office visits as you need, annual wellness exams, well-child exams, sports physicals, school physicals, basic office procedures, and treatment of acute illness or minor injuries, all with minimal wait times in the office.
Our patients will also have access to prescription medications at a wholesale price, discounted labs and special procedures not included in the membership fees.
No, we do not require a sign-up fee for a household, family or individual.
UpFront Health currently provides care for patients of all ages.
We expect to have an open, honest, respectful relationship with you. If you have voiced a complaint that we cannot satisfy together, we will gladly allow you to terminate your membership. If your membership is cancelled, you will receive a refund based on the services rendered. If you choose to rejoin, fees will be applied.
General Questions
Under the Direct Primary Care (DPC) model, the patient (you) receives comprehensive primary health care directly from their DPC physician (Dr. Berry). The patient pays for this care through a monthly fee, paid directly to UpFront Health.
Because DPC practices do not participate in any insurance or plans, the providers are able to avoid the ever-increasing and costly documentation demands and administrative intrusions that come with accepting insurance. DPC practices also avoid the onerous patient data collection responsibilities which many plans impose. These require staff, time, and money, often amounting to substantial intrusions on patient privacy.
Because DPC physicians avoid these obligations to insurance companies, they are free to spend that time listening to and treating patients. And because DPC physicians eliminate the significant overhead costs of participating in insurance, they can pass the savings on to you, the patient – and give compassionate, attentive and timely care at an affordable cost.
Please find a complete list of our prices here.
Yes! Dr. Berry sees members who are nursing home patients.
We treat acute and chronic health problems.
Dr. Berry will coordinate your care with a hospitalist at the facility of your choice.
No. Patient privacy is a natural benefit of this medical model. We will never provide any third party with a copy of your records, unless you specifically ask them to do so or if UpFront Health is subject to subpoena or search warrant. Read our full privacy policy here.
In the age of telemedicine, many conditions can be diagnosed and treated via a simple conversation by phone or webcam. If appropriate, we will locate the nearest pharmacy and order medication most suited for your circumstance. If you need to go to the hospital or seek other medical attention while away from home, we can advise you on that as well.
Absolutely, yes! It’s how we do custom healthcare. After normal office hours our members can call Dr. Berry’s cell phone.
Charges will be added and applied to your preferred method of payment.
Medicare & Insurance Questions
We recommend that you do have insurance to comply with Federal Law. UpFront Health does not replace insurance, and ideally we encourage our patients to carry a high deductible or major medical plan or a plan with a health savings account, thereby ensuring financial help should hospitalization or referral to a specialist be necessary. You should consult with your insurance provider to help you find a plan that works best with our medical model and that will meet your specific needs.
Not for our services, but UpFront Health will be able to order your labs, x-rays and medications at the facilities preferred by your insurance if you would like.
Yes. However, your monthly membership fee cannot be submitted to Medicare for reimbursement. You must sign a waiver every two years that declares that neither you nor your doctor will directly bill Medicare for your membership fee.
Medicare and medicare supplemental insurance will still cover medical costs that you incur outside of UpFront Health. For example, prescriptions that you fill at an outside pharmacy, or labs run at an outside lab, or hospital charges, physical therapy, x-rays and scans are covered, just to name a few. You do not lose your Medicare coverage for other medical needs just because you are a patient of UpFront Health.
Many times patients purchase expensive “Cadillac” plans that require little or no co-pay and that cover all lab costs and prescription costs. However, with UpFront Health your monthly fee covers all office visits, basic labs and there are no copays. Our patients may find it worthwhile to change from a “Cadillac” health insurance plan to a basic health insurance plan to save money.
Yes, our fees are generally reimbursable. This is one smart method of paying for your health care needs with pre-tax dollars.
Direct Primary Care may qualify as reimbursable through your Health Savings Account (HSA) and may also qualify under the Affordable Care Act. Section 10104 of P.L. 111-148 (Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act) states: “The Secretary of Health and Human Services shall permit a qualified health plan to provide coverage through a qualified direct primary care medical home plan that meets criteria established by the Secretary, so long as the qualified health plan meets all requirements that are otherwise applicable and the services covered by the medical home plan are coordinated with the entity offering the qualified health plan.” See your insurance specialist for information.