pay co-payments or deductibles for these services. Johnson says co-payments and deductibles are barriers that keep folks from getting the care they need right away. The end result will see patients — whether they have a chronic condition or a sudden illness — get the care they need right away, Johnson says. This is in comparison with a system where folks wait it out to avoid out-of-pocket costs until they end up in the hospital for something much more serious to their health and damaging to the wallet. Also the self-funded model takes traditional insurance companies out of the equation, which will reduce costs because there are no more administrative costs, Johnson says. Doctors spend a lot of money getting their full claims back from insurance companies, Johnson explains. To further improve care, Johnson’s model at Redirect Health gives patients 24/7 access to a doctor through the phone or telemedicine to help determine what the patient needs to do right away.
All of this, “gives you an ability to begin to lower claims,” Johnson says. Talk anytime, anywhere With rising healthcare premium costs in mind, telemedicine solutions could be a vital pathway to saving money. Phoenix-based Akos MD is one such telemedicine firm. Akos MD hopes to help patients save money by having doctors available through the phone (meaning no lost productivity at work) and by treating a wide range of conditions that can be done over the phone. Akos MD Founder Kishlay Anand, MD, says American Medical Association data shows 70 percent of common conditions can be treated through telemedicine. “An Akos MD yearly subscription allows families to save significantly on their monthly premiums by buying a highdeductible health plan with much lower monthly premiums and AB | July - August 2017 25