What about your Weight Loss Program?
Weight loss is hard. Really hard. But we can help. We use a medical weight loss system that uses medicine to help you stay on a 1,200 to 1,500 calorie diet. If that seems impossible, it nearly is. There are, however, several medications that can help suppress your appetite that makes such a low calorie diet possible. Obviously, this program his customized for each patient. You can join this program whether or not you consider Big Tree your primary care team and we consider obesity just another chronic disease, so care for it is included in all Big Tree plans. All weight loss patients must be on a monthly plan (such as our $44/month virtual plan). There is no minimum commitment, but the minimum charge is 3x a monthly membership (so if you sign up and then quit after one month, we will just bill you the balance for a total of $132 for the virtual program). At least the first visit must be in person so that we can make sure your heart is healthy enough for the program (there is no extra charge for this if you are a virtual patient).
What about your program to quit smoking?
Did you know that a medication that typically costs less than $5/month can make quitting doable? Our smoking cessation program is a part of every Big Tree plan. Sign up or register for a free consultation to find out how we can help you quit smoking.
What about controlled substances?
Federal and state laws are currently in flux on this issue, so stay tuned. For now, most providers choose not to prescribe controlled substances through virtual-only clinics, but that is up to each individual provider, your state laws and the future of federal law. So if that is really critical for you, just ask. We do not prescribe any opioids.
What about vaccines or labs?
We are experts at helping you navigate the health care system, both from the perspective of getting great care and making sure we make it as affordable as possible. We are a special type of primary care “clinic,” what’s known as a “patient-centered medical home.” This means we want to be your home base for everything medical. Even if we cannot solve it, we will help you figure out who can. Welcome home.
Even if you have insurance, we can usually help you figure out how to get vaccines, meds and labs cheaper than your insurance copay/deductible.
What if virtual care can't handle something?
No primary care clinic takes care of everything. Most primary care clinics refer patients to urgent care every day simply because they don’t have time to see them. We send far fewer patients to the urgent care than they do merely because we are able to see all of our patients that need care. We refer to specialists when needed. There are some cases that need an emergency room and we send some people to urgent care when a physical exam is really critical. At least our patients will know they need to get their abdominal pain examined at urgent care. Too often patients don’t know what to do, and they don’t have anyone looking out for their interests. Now you do.
What about serious, expensive situations?
We are a primary care clinic, and like any primary care clinic, we can “only” care for 80-90% of situations. Heart attacks, difficulty breathing, strokes and similar situations need quick care at a special hospital. Surgery, colonoscopies and other procedures are pretty hard to do over text message. Most of our patients use us a part of a health care package that includes something like insurance to cover catastrophic health needs. We are happy to connect you with some of our our partners if you are looking for a more affordable way to protect yourself from these situations.
Can you work with my cardiologist or surgeon?
Just like any primary care clinic, we refer to local specialists, transfer medical records and coordinate care. Many patients find that it is easier for us to care for many chronic situations. A surprising number of patients with high blood pressure, diabetes and depression see cardiologists, endocrinologists and psychiatrists, despite the fact that most of these patients can be cared for through primary care. And since it doesn’t cost us anything extra, many patients just have us handle their chronic conditions.
Do I really have 24/7 access?
Yes. We limit the number of patients we care for so they have time to deal with urgent needs even after hours. We do our regularly schedule appointments during fairly normal hours, but health needs often occur at the most inopportune hours. We are here for you.
Can I sign up my small business or even my big business?
Yes! Schedule a time to talk to us, and our practice management team will show you your options!
Can Big Tree really save me money?
Health insurance rarely helps with primary care costs. After you pay your copay, you end up paying the rest of the bill from your deductible. By not taking your insurance, we cut out the middle man and just bill you a flat monthly fee. No matter how much you use us.
Data from our organization and in other published studies have demonstrated that group health plans can lower their health spending by 20-40% by incorporating direct primary care like Big Tree.