Osteopathic Medicine, Insurance and Payment

  • Insurance

    Schuster Family Medicine welcomes all patients – no matter what kind of insurance they have and even those with no insurance. Schuster Family Medicine will not bill insurance, but you can use an HSA or FSA for the membership fee if you wish. If you have private insurance, you may submit a claim form to your insurance company to be reimbursed directly. The amount of reimbursement you receive will depend on your policy with your insurance company.

    We like to say everything done within the walls of or by the practice is covered by the membership. If you need to go outside the office – like for labs, blood work, or specialists you can use insurance like you normally would. Dr. Schuster retains full referral capabilities and can actually offer cheap cash pricing for those with high deductibles helping you drastically reduce healthcare costs.

    Click here to find out why this model is different.

  • What is a D.O. and what training do they receive?

    A D.O. is a Doctor of Osteopathy.

    In the United States, both D.O.s and M.D.s are the only two degrees that qualify a person as a licensed physician. Both complete 4 years of medical school and then residency training in hospitals and clinics within their specialty.  Either degree can practice in any specialty – family medicine, oncology, neurology, general surgery, etc.  In other countries, a D.O. is not trained as a physician and their scope of practice is thus limited.

    D.O.s have historically emphasized a holistic approach to medicine with an emphasis on supporting the patients health. They receive over 400 hours of additional training beyond the standard medical school curriculum to refine their manual diagnostic skill and provide a hands on treatment to support the healing process, know as osteopathic manipulative medicine (OMM).

  • What is the difference between a D.O. and a chiropractor?

    The greatest difference is the extent of training and scope of practice. Chiropractors are not physicians and do not complete residency training in a hospital. Their practice typically emphasizes working with the spine and spinal nerves to improve health. They are not allowed to prescribe medications, perform surgery, practice obstetrics or any other branch of medicine. In contrast, Doctors of Osteopathy (DOs) are licensed physicians and work directly with the anatomy and physiology of the entire body.

    Most chiropractors focus on high-velocity, low amplitude adjustments (“cracking”). D.O.s may also use this, but it is one of many possible techniques, many of which are very gentle.

    Osteopathy focuses on finding and fixing the cause of the structural and functional problem. Thereby, osteopathic treatments tend to be much less frequent as the patient experiences improvement in their symptoms.

Scheduling and Communication

  • After hours

    My practice leverages a telemedicine app that allows me to be available to you after hours especially in emergencies. This dedicated tool allows us to securely text, facetime, and send pictures in real time.

  • How are office visits handled?

    It’s easy – schedule a visit either online or call in and come into the office to see me when your visit is actually scheduled. You and I also have the option to a televisit as an alternative for a quick checkup or if you’re sick at home and would prefer not to come in. As a member of my practice there are no additional charges to see me-ever!

  • Will you allow to me to see you without signing up for a full membership?

    You never know what the future holds for your health, so I would always suggest joining for a full membership to take advantage of my time to get ahead of any problems that may pop up. If you aren’t sure if a membership is right for you, whether it be financial, for your health, or otherwise, you can always contact me so we can sit down and I can help you work through your decision.

  • How can I be sure you will have time for me if your access is unlimited?

    Because my main priority is you and I want to make sure I’m available for you while maintaining little to no wait, same day or next day visits, as well as no, rushed, 45 minute visits, I cap my patient panel at 600 patients (a traditional panel is 2000-3000 patients). 

  • Hospitalization

    If you feel you need to go to the hospital, please call and discuss with me at any time. I can help you decide whether it’s something we can take care of or if the emergency room is necessary. As your private physician, I would like to be involved in your hospital care—whether to speak to the emergency room physician or the in-patient doctor to assist in your care. We are also happy to keep in touch with your families during your stay and help arrange for your care after you return home.

General

  • Why is direct pay better?

    Conventional insurance-based medical practices are becoming unwieldy with more employees and time spent just on billing and collections. Insurance companies dictate the type of care doctors give, and doctors have to see 35+ patients a day to maintain their business. Many times, the cost of billing is more than the fee itself.

    Direct pay allows physicians the freedom to serve patients and practice medicine the way they were trained. No billing means doctors have time to spend with patients, and patients can access the doctor when and where they need to.

    Ultimately, direct pay allows for more than just a better version of what is already there. Doctors are able to redefine the frontlines of care by providing proactive and preventive care that is otherwise unavailable in the traditional system. This leads patients to experience better service while having better health – namely fewer surgeries, specialist visits, hospitalizations, and medicines.

  • Do you have evidence that direct pay costs less?

    Numerous reports show better care and cost saving throughout the United States. In North Carolina, DPC saved $1.28 million in health care claims in one year for 2000 patients. Less paperwork for doctors means more time to spend with patients as needed to manage medical conditions. More time means better access which means fewer specialist referrals, hospital admissions, and ER visits. In insurance-based medical clinics,  43% of the day is spent on needless paperwork.

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