Dallas-Area Urgent Care Clinics Expand to Offer Primary Care Services, Helping Smaller Employers Provide Affordable Health Insurance

DALLAS, July 22, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- NextCare Holdings, Inc. and Physician Care Direct have teamed to help small- and medium-size employers manage the skyrocketing cost of providing employees with health insurance.

According to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), nearly two-thirds of small businesses will pay more to cover their employees as a result of the Affordable Care Act, as will millions of small-business employees and their family members. Smaller businesses already pay between 10 and 18 percent more for health insurance than larger companies, according to the Commonwealth Fund.

The agreement announced today enables PrimaCare Medical Centers, which are owned and operated by NextCare Holdings, Inc., to expand into delivering primary care services, which typically address 90 percent of patients' health needs. By offering Physician Care Direct's Employer Health Ownership Plan™ (EHOP) as a benefit to Dallas employers, the services offered by PrimaCare Medical Centers' 13 urgent care clinics in the Dallas area will be expanded into a primary care network based on the medical home model.  

"We are committed to increasing access to high-quality patient-centered primary care for Dallas-area employees," said John Julian, Chief Executive Officer of NextCare Holdings, Inc. "Small- and medium-sized businesses everywhere are struggling to maintain decent health insurance benefits for their employees. We believe that this initiative can help companies save money while demonstrating to their employees that their health is a top priority."

The EHOP enables employers to buy personalized primary care directly from PrimaCare Medical Centers and then add coverage for specialists and hospitalization. Their employees gain comprehensive access to primary care services with no copays or coinsurance for included services. This approach eliminates the barriers to care typical with high deductible plans, helping employees remain healthy, which improves productivity.

Up to 30 percent savings

By becoming self-insured under the EHOP, employers can convert 60 to 70 percent of their healthcare expenses to a variable cost. As a result, when healthcare spending is reduced, savings flow back to the employer not the insurance company. This can lower the cost of providing health benefits by as much as 30 percent.    

Adding primary care to its service offering is expected to help PrimaCare Medical Centers build stronger, longer-term relationships within the Dallas employer community.

"PrimaCare is an exceptionally well-run, patient-centered group of clinics that has built an outstanding brand around urgent care," said William (B.J.) Lawson, Chief Executive Officer of Physician Care Direct. "Adding primary care to its offering is a natural extension of their patient focus. Together, we are providing small- and medium-size businesses in Dallas with a unique alternative to traditional health insurance that will help them manage their costs while continuing to offer attractive benefits packages to their employees. We think it's a model that will transform urgent care delivery nationwide."

About PrimaCare Medical Centers

PrimaCare is wholly owned and operated by NextCare Holdings, Inc. PrimaCare has been satisfying the healthcare needs of families in the Dallas-Fort Worth area since 1979. PrimaCare Medical Centers operates 13 urgent care clinics in the Dallas area. To learn more about PrimaCare Medical Centers, please visit www.primacare.com.

About NextCare Holdings, Inc.

NextCare Holdings, Inc. is one of the nation's largest providers of urgent care and occupational medical services.  The company operates 106 urgent care facilities in 11 states. For more information, please visit www.NextCare.com or call 888-381-4858. For the latest news, follow NextCare on Twitter (@NextCare) and Facebook.

About Physician Care Direct

Physician Care Direct partners with employers and health systems to make healthcare more affordable. PCD delivers the Employer Health Ownership Plan™ (EHOP™)—an innovative health plan solution that starts with personalized primary care, then adds physician and hospital networks for a comprehensive solution.  Now businesses of all sizes can offer their employees meaningful healthcare benefits while controlling and reducing costs. For more information, visit www.physiciancaredirect.com.

Press Contact:
Todd Stein
Amendola Communications
916-346-4213
[email protected]

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SOURCE Physician Care Direct