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FAQS

What kind of practice is Prairie Health and Wellness?

We offer traditional primary care in Wichita, KS and Hutchinson, KS. We have providers who specialize in family practice, women’s health, pediatrics, naturopathic medicine, and chiropractic care. All of our providers have training in functional medicine and take a functional approach in the way they practice. 

What is Functional Medicine?

In functional medicine we try to understand the root cause of a person’s health issues. We often look for hormonal or nutritional deficiencies that may be causing a problem. We also focus on patient’s lifestyle choices and if there are areas which may be causing part of the issue. The goal is to restore function using evidence-based approaches whether it be nutritional, supplemental, or hormonal therapies.

Why doesn’t Prairie Health and Wellness contract with insurance?

There is significant overhead in billing, coding and submitting claims to insurance companies. Many times the insurance companies will change the rules on what they consider to be a covered expense. We want to work for you. When a doctor contracts with an insurance company to take payment for services, you are no longer the focus. More and more restrictions are being placed on how medicine is practiced, and unfortunately cost is often the deciding factor and not the quality of care. We have elected to eliminate this expense and pass those savings on to you.

How will I get reimbursed from my insurance company?

Surprisingly, patients submitting claims is relatively straight forward. We provide a separate copy of your bill with all the necessary diagnoses and procedure codes. Your insurance can still be utilized for referrals to specialists, additional testing, and prescriptions.

How does my high deductible plan and HSA work at Prairie Health?

You have the perfect set-up for this model. We allow you to maximize your tax-free HSA money. Our fees are eligible to be paid by your HSA. With our low costs your HSA is allowed to grow for future needs rather than your money being lost to insurance premiums.

Do I even need insurance?

Yes, to cover major medical expenses. Health insurance is the only form of insurance that covers preventive and maintenance care. We don’t expect our home insurance to cover new carpets or car insurance to buy new windshield wipers. The high healthcare costs we see today have been driven by the expectation that health insurance should cover preventive care. Click here to connect with an insurance agent experienced with the direct care model.

What form of payment do you accept?

We take cash, credit, debit and local checks.

What does pricing look like?

By contracting directly with patients, and reducing overhead, we are able to offer prices that are, on average, less than what insurance providers allow. We believe strongly in passing these savings on to you.

What are the different ways I can participate as a patient?

We are a full membership practice, which allows you to have all of your office visits included, reduced lab pricing and deep discounts on prescription drugs and supplements. You can learn more about our membership here.

I have Medicare (or another federal plan). Can you see me?

Our providers have opted out of Medicare. This means neither Prairie Health & Wellness nor the patient can submit a claim to Medicare for reimbursement. The drastically reduced rates still offer great savings to appeal to Medicare-aged patients. Talk to our staff about a unique opportunity for you to save money on prescriptions under our membership plan.

Is this a new concept?

No, this is a huge trend in healthcare right now. We encourage you to look at the following sites for further information: Direct Primary Care and Association of American Physicians and Surgeons. You can also look for articles that reference “direct pay care.”

What about the Affordable Care Act?

Direct pay or cash based medical practices are recognized in the Affordable Care Act. Here is an interesting article about the Affordable Care Act and the current trends that we invite you to read.