Dothan Internal Medicine has been located in Dothan, Alabama since 2004. It operated as a private solo practice until 2015, and then the push of healthcare reform led to it being absorbed by a hospital-owned network of physicians. After three years, Dr. Beauchamp has decided to pursue a new direction for the practice. He is seeking a model of care that embraces his desire for quality, genuine, face-to-face time with patients. He feels that primary care has become fragmented, less personal and needlessly complicated. He was trained to take care of his patients personally in the clinic as well as in the hospital. He wants to return to such a practice and he thinks the direct primary care model will facilitate this type of care.
New patient enrollment is now open and the practice will start at the 200 Parkwest location on July 1, 2018. Patients are encouraged to contact us with further questions or to ask for a contract.
The direct primary care model will require patients to pay a membership fee to be a part of the practice. This fee will then entitle the patient to comprehensive primary care without further charges. Some examples of the benefits of membership include:
Unlimited number of office visits without copay
Typical office procedures, such as: flu test, strep test, urinalysis, pregnancy testing, EKG, Albuterol nebulizer treatment, some joint injections, steroid injection, other injections when indicated, etc.
Internal medicine hospital care
Enhanced after hours contact via phone, secure text, email, etc. Hopefully this will lead to less urgent care visits for patients.
Annual Wellness Exam
Same or next day urgent care
Adequate face-to-face time with MD at office visits
Responses to clinical questions in timely fashion by staff and Dr. Beauchamp
Care given by Dr. Beauchamp personally
Home visits in the near vicinity for special situations
A committed advocate less encumbered by the many restrictions in the current health care system
Internal Medicine Residency Training: University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia. 1994-1997
Medical School: University of Florida, Gainesville, FL. 1990-1994
B.S. Electrical Engineering: University of Florida, Gainesville, FL. 1985-1990
In this model of primary care, Dr. Beauchamp will not accept insurance payments for the care he gives. Patients will pay a membership fee to continue to be a part of his practice. As long as the membership is kept active, the patient will have access to care without additional charge, including:
Dr. Beauchamp wants to quarterback the care of his patients regarding issues of wellness, acute care, complex disease management, and difficult diagnostic dilemmas.
Dr. Beauchamp does not plan to have physician extenders at this time and he does not intend to let technology interrupt genuine patient care.
The healthcare maze has become complicated and terribly expensive. This office hopes to be a guide through this maze. We can’t do it perfectly but it will be a sincere goal of the practice.
It will be our standard practice to provide the inpatient internal medicine care at Flowers Hospital for patients of Dothan Internal Medicine.
Participation in this membership model clinic is NOT a substitute for health insurance. Dr. Beauchamp strongly recommends health insurance due to the many costly events that could occur (hospitalization, radiology or cardiology procedures, labs, pharmaceutical expenses, surgical care, specialty care, medical equipment, home health, etc.)
At this time, the law says that one cannot dip into health savings accounts to pay the membership fee. Hopefully this will change down the road! For the time being the membership fee must be paid with post-tax money.
Dr. Beauchamp will be “opted out” of Medicare. This requires all Medicare patients that participate in the clinic to sign an agreement acknowledging the opt-out and agreeing to pay Dr. Beauchamp outside of Medicare. Dr. Beauchamp, nor the patient, can submit Dr. Beauchamp’s charges to Medicare.
Medicare and almost all other insurance plans will honor orders written by Dr. Beauchamp. For instance; hospital orders, radiology, labs, consults, cardiology testing, etc. will all be covered by insurance.
Covid-19 has disrupted life as we know it and it has changed much about the healthcare system. Dr. Beauchamp does treat patients with Covid-19, but much of that care is somewhat non-traditional in that it is done over the phone and by utilizing acute care clinics and health departments for acute testing. He is happy to guide treatment decisions when patients experience symptoms concerning for Covid-19. Dr. Beauchamp does not do Covid-19 testing in the office and the membership fee does not cover the cost of testing.
| Age: | Annual Fee: |
|---|---|
| 18-25 | $480 (or $40 per month) |
| 26-64 | $600 (or $50 per month) |
| 65+ | $780 (or $65 per month) |
YES, with regards to Medicare. Dr. Beauchamp will opt out of the Medicare system, so he will receive no pay from Medicare, but his orders will be honored.
With regards to BCBS, the vast majority of Dr. Beauchamp's patients will have no issues at all. All of his orders will be honroed and covered by their insurance. The only plans that would not honor his orders would be plans such as:
Patients with the two types of plans above would be disqualified from participation. At next open enrollment one could pick a different insurance plan without the "select" designation and then participation would be possible.
With regards to other insurance companies, Dr. Beauchamp is not aware of any issues regarding orders not being honored. If one of these other companies also required a “select” primary care provider, then extra diligence would be recommended before signing up for the practice.
Direct Primary Care (DPC) is an innovative alternative payment model improving access to high functioning healthcare with a simple, flat, affordable membership fee. Watch this brief video to learn more.
200 Parkwest Circle., Suite 2
Dothan, AL 36303
Fax: (334) 699-2006
Monday - Thursday: 7:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Friday: 8:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.