Q&A
What is Thrive Primary Care?
Do I Have to Have Insurance?
What if I am Hospitalized?
Thrive Primary Care offers a unique model of care which removes large healthcare intermediaries such as insurance companies and healthcare administrators that negatively impact the patient care experience. America’s healthcare system continues to grow exponentially in cost while the quality of care continues to decrease. This disproportionate relationship is the number one cause of both physician burnout and patient dissatisfaction in the US. This is where Thrive Primary Care comes in. In lieu of paying for healthcare via high (and unregulated) insurance plan premiums, patients pay a flat rate (either monthly or annually) for the care they receive. Patients who receive care in this type of model not only have better overall health outcomes but also have lower hospitalization rates and healthcare costs. Our model achieves positive outcomes because patients are able to spend more time with their physician at each appointment, can talk or see their physician when needed and are guaranteed to have flexibility in appointment types allowing visits to take place in the office, via telehealth, phone calls or even in the patient's home*. Even better, HSA funds can be used to pay the membership fee.
Do You Provide 24/7 Services?
While we strive to provide care as soon as possible to our patients, it is important to remember that we too have families and need to maintain a healthy work-life balance. We will always prioritize and be available for emergencies. Our easy to email platform allows our patients to send us a message when convenient for non-emergencies such as medication refills, lab requests/questions, appointment requests, etc. This allows our physicians the flexibility to assess the need and determine appropriate timing of response which is either same day or next business day.
Do I need to be a patient of Thrive to schedule an appointment for aesthetic services?
No, you do not need to be an established patient to work with Dr. Rishwain. When you schedule your aesthetic appointment this does not encompass access to the primary care services offered by Thrive Primary Care.
How Do I Get More Information?
If you are interested in receiving updates on Thrive Primary Care and how to potentially become a new member, simply fill out the form below and we will take care of the rest.
Yes. Our patients must have insurance for potential referrals and high cost events, like hospitalizations. The purpose of insurance is to insure that in the event of a life changing health emergency, the cost of the care does not become a life long debt.
What if I Need to See a Specialist?
As trusted primary care physicians in the region for over a decade, our physicians have great working relationships with nearly every specialist in the greater Sacramento area. We will work directly with her or him to communicate your needs and will be your advocate to ensure you get the care you need.
Do You Manage Chronic Pain?
At this time our physicians do not manage chronic pain with narcotics for new patients. If you are a former patient of one of our physicians and were being prescribed narcotics and would like to be a member of Thrive Primary Care, please reach out to us.
Can I Use My HSA Account to Pay the Monthly Fee?
Absolutely! You can use your HSA funds to pay for all or part of your membership.
What Happens If I Need Care on a Weekend or Holiday?
We understand that healthcare emergencies don't always happen on the weekdays between 9-5. As a result we always have a physician available to assess the situation if an emergency happens. If needed we will be available to address your need over the phone, via a telehealth visit and in some circumstances, an office visit with the hope to avoid an unnecessary Urgent Care or Emergency Room visit.
Do I need to be a patient of Thrive to sign up for The Female Athlete Initiative?
No, you do not need to be an established patient to participate. When you sign up for this program, it does not establish a patient-physician relationship and payment for the program only encompasses services related to the program only.
In the traditional healthcare model when an individual is hospitalized, sadly the patient and/or the patient's family carries the burden of being the medical history source for the hospital care team. In our model, this no longer falls on the shoulder's of the patient or their family. Your physician team at Thrive Primary Care will be your advocate. Simply notify our office of your hospitalization and we will communicate directly with your care team that way you and your family can focus on your healing and nothing else.
Do You See Children?
Absolutely! We see children of all ages including newborns. As mothers ourselves, we recognize the unique needs of parents and are available to provide care to your child and to answer all the questions you have about their growing needs.
Why Thrive Primary Care?
Most physicians go into medicine to provide care to their communities. In the current healthcare system, physicians are constantly forced to provide fragmented care that benefits insurance companies, corporate healthcare systems and private equity firms while negatively impacting patient care and physician satisfaction. Our physicians have decided to no longer participate in this broken system. This model allows both the physician and the patient population to thrive.
Will My Insurance Get Billed?
For nearly all patients the simple answer is no, your insurance will not be billed for medical care visits. However, for patients with Medicare or Tricare, we are required by law to bill for any services that are rendered. For all other patients, we will only bill insurance for items such as vaccines, IUDs and Nexplanons. Otherwise we will never bill your insurance for anything. This also means that you will never have to pay a copay when you see your physician at Thrive Primary Care.
What If I Need Labs Ordered?
At Thrive Primary Care we have established low cost lab services through Quest Diagnostics should you choose to pay cash in lieu of utilizing your insurance.
* If deemed appropriate by our physicians
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