"Emily Lisker was hesitant to see a doctor, no matter how bad she felt...last winter, when she came down with a bad cough, Lisker immediately called her doctor and immediately got an appointment."
So what, you ask?
Well, it may help to know that Emily is uninsured (by choice), and that she chose to avail herself of an "innovative program called HealthAccessRI."
And what, you may further ask, is HealthAccessRI?
It's a program sponsored by the state of Rhode Island which, for a modest $30 monthly fee, gets her priority access to a primary care physician. What started as a pilot program recently went statewide; it was originally conceived by Dr Michael D. Fine, whose practice became the testing ground for the plan. He must be an IB reader, as well:
"The premise underlying the plan, Fine says, is that primary care is both inexpensive and effective, and for most people, it’s all they need."
Exactly!
He's also quick to point out that this is "not insurance," which is a useful admonition. But it also serves to underscore our long-running contention that health insurance is not the same as health care. That's a critical distinction, and one which it appears that the folks behind HealthAccessRI understand.
Hat Tip: Neal Boortz
So what, you ask?
Well, it may help to know that Emily is uninsured (by choice), and that she chose to avail herself of an "innovative program called HealthAccessRI."
And what, you may further ask, is HealthAccessRI?
It's a program sponsored by the state of Rhode Island which, for a modest $30 monthly fee, gets her priority access to a primary care physician. What started as a pilot program recently went statewide; it was originally conceived by Dr Michael D. Fine, whose practice became the testing ground for the plan. He must be an IB reader, as well:
"The premise underlying the plan, Fine says, is that primary care is both inexpensive and effective, and for most people, it’s all they need."
Exactly!
He's also quick to point out that this is "not insurance," which is a useful admonition. But it also serves to underscore our long-running contention that health insurance is not the same as health care. That's a critical distinction, and one which it appears that the folks behind HealthAccessRI understand.
Hat Tip: Neal Boortz
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