Do I need to enroll in a Direct Primary Care or Concierge Medicine membership plan to be seen as a primary care patient in the clinic?

YES. All patients who want Dr. Ramos as their primary care doctor are required to enrollment in one of our membership plans. *Please note, the weight management/loss program, sports performance testing and/or body composition analysis are independent programs that DO NOT require patients/clients to belong to our membership-based direct primary care or concierge medicine model.

NO. DPC is NOT insurance or a replacement for insurance. We strongly recommend all our patients maintain insurance in some form, either a traditional plan or a high deductible plan paired with a health savings account (HSA). We see DPC as a way to limit your healthcare expenses by reserving your insurance for more expensive healthcare needs, like surgery, prolonged hospitalizations, rehabilitation and expensive medications.

NO. DPC is NOT insurance or a replacement for insurance. We strongly recommend all our patients maintain insurance in some form, either a traditional plan or a high deductible plan paired with a health savings account (HSA). We see DPC as a way to limit your healthcare expenses by reserving your insurance for more expensive healthcare needs, like surgery, prolonged hospitalizations, rehabilitation and expensive medications.

What is the difference between Direct Primary Care and Concierge Care/Concierge Medicine?

Both provide a personalized approach and better access to your doctor. Both emphasize the primacy of the “doctor-patient relationship” in medicine and not the interests of insurance companies or 3rd parties. The main difference is in how you pay. In the concierge model, we will bill your insurance. This is available for those with Medicare and private insurance in which our doctors are “in network.” However, you will still be responsible for your co-pay, co-insurance and deductibles. Medicare and private insurers with whom we are contracted/in-network restrict their subscribers from enrolling in a membership model like DPC. However, their members are allowed to be part of a concierge care plan. The concierge membership fee is not re-imbursible by Medicare or your insurance. It is specifically used to cover services that are not paid for by Medicare or Insurance, also known as non covered services.

Does Concierge Care provide services that are not covered by Medicare or private insurance?

The short answer is yes. Your concierge membership fees are used exclusively for non-covered services such as direct enhanced access, same day or next-day appointments, tele-medicine or virtual communication not restricted by the originating location of evaluation. In addition; certain imaging, diagnostic tests, labs, counseling and evaluations especially those that may be integrative, complimentary, alternative or functional medicine in nature are not covered by Medicare and most insurances. Certain screening test are restricted by medicare to specific time intervals and not covered at all if they occur more frequently. Some examples include bone density measurements, or screening EKGs.

If I need hospitalization will I be followed by my doctor in the hospital?

Yes. At Austin Medical Partners we are unique as the only DPC and Concierge Practice in Austin that will admit or follow you during hospitalizations at Seton Medical Center Austin. If you are hospitalized at a non-covered facility*, we will provide personalized care coordination with the ER, Hospitalist and Specialist, leveraging our decades long expertise in Hospital Medicine. *additional hopsitals may be added in the future

Yes. At Austin Medical Partners we are unique as the only DPC and Concierge Practice in Austin that will admit or follow you during hospitalizations at Seton Medical Center Austin. If you are hospitalized at a non-covered facility*, we will provide personalized care coordination with the ER, Hospitalist and Specialist, leveraging our decades long expertise in Hospital Medicine. *additional hospitals may be added in the future

Will DPC or Concierge Medicine save me money?

Each patient’s circumstance is unique and DPC or Concierge Medicine may help save you money. Here are a few scenarios where this is the case; a) Decreased monthly healthcare cost. When paired with a low premium, high deductible insurance plan, the money you save on the premium may be much less than the cost of the DPC or CC membership. b) Access to major discounts on common lab tests and medications. c) Utilization of generic medications when efficacy is equivalent to brand-name medications. d) Access to discounted imaging tests. e) Enhanced availability with simple and direct access to primary care, ultimately avoiding costly trips to the ER or Urgent Care, and possibly the need for hospitalizations. f) Less time away from work with appointments that start on time and phone or virtual appointments (when safe and appropriate). g) During hospitalizations, enhanced care coordination to minimize your days in the hospital and ultimately the total cost of your care and your expenses. h) No surprise bills.

Will Medicare or private insurance cover my concierge medicine membership fee?

No, Medicare and private insurance do not cover concierge membership fees. Your membership fee goes toward services that are consider non-covered services. Some example of non-covered services include personal training, certain complimentary or alternative medcine evaluations or non-covered imaging or services such as body composition scanning, or sport performance testing such as VO2 Max testing.

Why is the DPC payment model not available to Medicare patients or patients who want to use their insurance?

Medicare regulation requires a claim or bill to be submitted for each specific visit and specifies a specific fee for each service rendered. The DPC payment model is different in that each visit is not dependent on satisfying this regulatory requirement. Medicare only allows patients to participate in a membership-based practice through a Concierge Care payment model in our practice as we are not opted out-of-medicare. This also applies to patients with private insurance with whom we are in-network. Our Concierge Care model does allow access to additional services beyond what Medicare or insurers allow in a traditional fee-for-service model.

Can I participate in the clinic’s weight management or Fitness & Sport Performance programs if I am not an enrolled as a member of the DPC or Concierge program?

Yes. These are separate comprehensive programs that evaluate your nutrition, sport performance and cardiovascular fitness. We can make recommendations for your PCP to follow if they are interested. We can follow and track your fitness and it's improvement over time and the implications for your health. These evaluations are more focused when not paired with DPC or Concierge Medicine Programs. Enrollment in our DPC and Concierge Care programs allows for the most integrated approach to manage your weight, nutrition, fitness and sports performance in the context of your personal medical history and your overall health and wellness. We are the only practice in Austin providing this service.

Can I use my insurance to pay for labs, imaging and medications?

Yes, we actually recommend this. We, however, are not responsible for costs not covered by your insurance plan. Austin Medical Partners has negotiated and access to cash-pay prices with local labs and imaging facilities. In addition, we have access to discounted medications that are a fraction of what these same providers will charge your insurance plan. Many times it costs less for you to pay the cash price, using your HSA or FSA debit card, than the co-pay for you insurance. This is particularly true for medications.

Can I submit my DPC office bills that aren’t covered by my DPC membership fee for re-imbursement to my insurance company?

Yes. We will give you a document with all the appropriate codes so you can file this with your insurance company. Outside of providing appropriate documentation codes we do not assist otherwise in the insurance billing process.

+ What if I’m still unsure if membership medicine is right for me?

Call us for a free 10-20 minute informational phone meeting to answer your questions. And if you still have questions, we’ll schedule a time for you to visit the clinic in person to see if it’s right for you.

Austin Medical Partners Welcomes
New Patients

If you’re looking for a doctors office where you can spend more focused time with your Doctor, contact Austin Medical Partners in Austin, TX. Louis E. Ramos, MD founded this practice to provide Direct Primary Care and Concierge Care/Medicine as a way to establish a long-term relationship with patients. It is time for a new paradigm of medical services, one where your Doctor truly knows you and can more fully understand your health and your health needs. You don’t need to wait to be sick to see your Doctor and infact, we encourage the opposite! At Austin Medical Partners, we feel it’s best to know how well you are first, so we can treat you more comprehensively as it pertains to your specific health needs. However, if you are not well and are seeking a Doctor, please do not hesitate to call us. Below lists the medical conditions we treat.

Medical Conditions We Treat

Doctors Office in Austin, TX Austin Medical Partners

Direct Primary Care Clinic in Austin, TX Austin Medical Partners

Concierge Medicine in Austin, TX Austin Medical Partners

Sports Performance testing in Austin, TX Austin Medical Partners

Arthritis: gout, osteoarthritis, initial eval for inflammatory arthritis
Asthma/COPD
Cancer screening
Cardiovascular disease (including CAD, CHD, CVA, PVD)
Diabetes and “pre-diabetes”
Fitness testing and assessment (Cardiopulmonary Exercise Testing)
Gastrointestinal diseases including colitis, diverticulitis, GERD, heartburn, infectious gastroenteritis, ulcers
Hematologic or blood disorders, anemia
High cholesterol or hyperlipidemia
High blood pressure/hypertension
Hormone imbalances including
- Thyroid dysfunction: hyper- or hypothyroidism
- Adrenal insufficiency
- Men’s Health related imbalances
- Women’s Health related imbalances
Infectious diseases: bronchitis, cellulitis, flu, GI illness/stomach bugs, pneumonia, skin abscess, sore throat/Strep throat, STI, UTI, etc…
Liver disease including cirrhosis and fatty liver
Metabolic syndrome (hypertension, pre-diabetes, hyperlipidemia, obesity) with focus on reversing metabolic syndrome and its complications
Men’s Health
- Erectile dysfunction (ED)
- Hair loss/androgenic alopecia
- Health maintenance and healthy aging
- Hypogonadism and androgen deficiency evaluation and treatment when clinically indicated
- Prostate health – BPH, urinary retention
Nutrition counseling, access to Registered Dietician consultant
Obesity/Weight Management and sleep apnea
Preventative Medicine – cardiovascular risk factor assessment, screening, lipids, pre-diabetes, cancer screening
Rash and skin diseases including cellulitis, fungal infections
Stroke care and post-stroke care
Urinary tract problems, incontinence, urinary tract infections, STIs, kidney infections
Women’s Health
- Pre-menopausal and post-menopausal symptom management
- Hormone Replacement Therapy, with a bio-identical approach
- Preventative, proactive approach to health maintenance and healthy aging
- Weight Management (with dedicated weight management program) for adults and adolescents
- Body Composition Testing
Sports Medicine and Sports Performance Optimization
- VO2 Max Testing
- Aerobic and Anaerobic Threshold testing
- Body Composition Testing - pre and post intervention

Curious about Direct Primary Care & Concierge Care? Check it out here!

If you have a specific medical question or wonder if we treat your condition then call us at 512-640-2691 or contact us here.

Do you have a medical condition that you want to learn more about?

CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE

Conditions We Refer To Specialists

On the occasion you require further treatment that is not offered by Austin Medical Partners, we have a trusted network of colleagues we can refer you to that specialize in the following:

Chronic pain management – referral to pain management specialist for medication management
Chronic psychiatric care – referral to certified therapist or psychiatrist for psychotherapy and medication management
Occupational health for work-related injuries, worker’s compensation and long-term disability

Click the link below to access your electronic medical records!

Electronic Medical Record Access

Louis E. Ramos, MD of Austin Medical Partners is accepting new patients, **contact** our office today at **512-640-2691**!

Patients

Austin Medical Partners Welcomes New Patients