Dr. Paul Thomas on Leading Questions

This week, I was interviewed on Leading Questions with Calvin Moore, Kent Straith, and Steve Phelps. Also on the show was Dr. Abdul El-Sayed a political pundit on CNN and author of the new book Healing Politics. We discussed the coronavirus and the flaws in our current healthcare system and political system that have allowed this virus to spread more widely and infect and kill more people.

Here’s the general topics we discussed:

Question: Tell us a little about yourself as a medical professional. How long have you been doing it and do you have a specialized area of focus?

Answer: For me, I’m a family medicine doctor. I started our direct primary care service, Plum Health DPC, to make healthcare more affordable and accessible here in Detroit. My practice started in 2016, and we’ve grown into a larger location in Corktown, Detroit on Michigan avenue. I work with a second doctor and we care for a diverse group of patients in terms of age, race, gender, abilities, orientation, socioeconomic status, and other factors. We’re proud to serve at the community level and to advocate for better health for our patients.

Question: Healthcare is an issue that is on everyone’s mind. What are some the glaring issues surrounding healthcare as you understand it?

Answer: Currently, the for-profit practice of medicine and the insurance based system of care has devalued primary care services that would help us prevent the spread of viruses. in our current system, elective surgeries like knee replacement surgeries and other procedural work receives the largest reimbursement from private health insurance companies and Medicare. So, our corporate hospital systems have maximized their ability to perform these procedures at the expense of a robust and well-functioning primary care delivery system. This disorientation has caused us to be vulnerable to pandemics like this.

Question: In 2019, “telehealth” was considered part of the future of medical care; however, the current pandemic has accelerated the progress and use of telehealth services. Do you see a time in the near future where telehealth successfully replaces some or most in-person office visits for routine services?

Answer: in our practice at Plum Health DPC, our patients can call, text, or email us anytime. We can also use video chats and we can text photos to help us better understand the conditions affecting our patients. We’re able to do this because WE DO NOT BILL OR USE INSURANCE. You see, your doctor cannot and will not text you after hours or even as a replacement for a typical visit because your doctor can only get paid by the insurance company for face-to-face visits. In our model, because our patients pay us directly, we change the way we deliver primary care to maximize the efficacy of our time and resources, and to give our patients an amazing customer experience.

Question: In an effort to curb the rising costs of health care and limit instances where patients have to pay out-of-pocket for services denied by their insurance companies, more and more medical procedures require prior authorization. Do you believe any changes are necessary to the prior authorization process that will allow you to better serve your patients, while at the same time reduce the rising costs of providing health care?

Answer: again, because we don’t bill or use insurance at Plum Health DPC, we don’t often go through the prior authorization system. In our model, we are extremely effective at lowering the cost of care, so it’s often times cheaper to buy the medication or get the lab test by paying cash for the service than by using the insurance policy to pay for an over-inflated cost of a lab test or medication. For example, if you got a complete blood count at the local hospital, they might charge you $125. That same complete blood count only costs $4 in our office.

Thanks for reading and have a wonderful day,

-Dr. Paul Thomas with Plum Health DPC