Health Insurance-A Sad State of Affairs…
Healthcare in the United States is said to be some of the most advanced in the world, yet it is not always the most accessible. Millions of Americans are finding they can no longer afford traditional insurance, and it is estimated that approximately 41% of all privately insured Americans under the age of 65 are enrolled in high-deductible health plans that may make it cost-prohibitive to even use their insurance (due to the deductible and upfront cost to the patient before the plan pays anything towards care).
Historically, insurance was something that was purchased to prevent a catastrophic loss due to a rare event such as hospitalizations, accidents, natural disasters, and other low-probability-high-cost events. The risk was pooled among thousands of subscribers who each paid a relatively small premium so the few unlucky individuals who experienced these traumatic events could be covered.
Healthcare in general was still a provider-patient financial relationship until World War II. The government implemented wage controls to prevent inflation, and employers started competing for workers by offering non-wage benefits. In1943, the IRS ruled that employers could offer health insurance as a non-taxed benefit. As a result, employers began offering health insurance, workers expected it as a standard benefit, and the proliferation of insurance plans began.
Over time, U.S. health insurance shifted away from catastrophic protection and towards prepayment for routine medical care such as office visits, prescriptions, preventative care, testing, and minor procedures. Health insurance now functions as a third-party payment system of everyday healthcare rather than pure risk protection. This shift has caused issues such as rising healthcare costs, administrative complexity, and insurance tied to employment (ie: lose your job, lose your healthcare).
Many modern reform ideas including Direct Primary Care (DPC), Health Savings Accounts (HSAs), and price transparency models are attempts to reintroduce the patient-provider financial relationship that existed before this policy shift in order to lower the overall cost to the patient and give more control to the provider on what can be offered without insurance restrictions. It removes the middleman, reducing the overall administrative burdens and added expenses.
At Four Corners Health Care, we are bringing back that traditional model of charging a low-cost fee for healthcare, eliminating insurance issues from everyday primary care, and providing our patients with the time and attention they need to build a healthy lifestyle that once again focuses on prevention and responding in a timely manner to everyday primary healthcare needs.
Your Health Matters to Us!
Our new journey begins!
As four very experienced healthcare providers, we have witnessed the drastic change in how healthcare and insurance has evolved over the past 20 years. The changes have not all been positive. From a provider’s standpoint, office visits are hurried—often limited to just a few moments to get to know the patient and address only what feels most urgent in that moment.
At Four Corners Health Care, we believe your health matters—and it deserves more time, more access, and more connection.
Over the years, we’ve watched well-intentioned clinicians struggle under increasing administrative burdens, insurance rules, and productivity pressures that push care to feel transactional instead of personal. Patients are rushed. Providers are rushed. Important questions get postponed. Preventive care gets squeezed out. And meaningful relationships—the foundation of good medicine—are often lost.
We knew there had to be a better way.
That belief is what led us to Direct Primary Care (DPC). DPC removes the insurance middleman from routine primary care and replaces it with a simple, transparent membership model. This allows us to focus on what matters most: you. Longer visits. Same-day or next-day access. Real conversations. Proactive care instead of reactive care.
Your health is not just a series of isolated problems—it’s a story that unfolds over time. In the DPC model, we have the time to understand that story. We can look at the full picture: your goals, your challenges, your family, your lifestyle, and your long-term well-being. We can address chronic conditions thoughtfully, prioritize prevention, and help you make informed decisions with clarity and confidence.
Most importantly, we believe healthcare works best when it’s a partnership. You should feel heard, respected, and empowered—not rushed or dismissed. When you know your provider and your provider truly knows you, better health outcomes follow.
This blog is part of that commitment. Here, we’ll share insights on preventive care, chronic disease management, wellness, navigating today’s healthcare system, and practical ways to take charge of your health. We’ll also pull back the curtain on why we do things differently—and how that difference benefits you.
This is the beginning of a new journey—for us and for our patients. One built on trust, access, and the simple belief that your health truly matters to us.
Welcome to Four Corners Health Care
Our new journey begins! As four very experienced healthcare providers, we have witnessed the drastic change in how healthcare and insurance has evolved over the past 20 years. The changes have not all been positive. From a provider’s standpoint, office visits are hurried—often limited to just a few moments to get to know the patient and address only what feels most urgent in that moment.
At Four Corners Health Care, we believe your health matters—and it deserves more time, more access, and more connection.
Over the years, we’ve watched well-intentioned clinicians struggle under increasing administrative burdens, insurance rules, and productivity pressures that push care to feel transactional instead of personal. Patients are rushed. Providers are rushed. Important questions get postponed. Preventive care gets squeezed out. And meaningful relationships—the foundation of good medicine—are often lost.
We knew there had to be a better way.
That belief is what led us to Direct Primary Care (DPC). DPC removes the insurance middleman from routine primary care and replaces it with a simple, transparent membership model. This allows us to focus on what matters most: you. Longer visits. Same-day or next-day access. Real conversations. Proactive care instead of reactive care.
Your health is not just a series of isolated problems—it’s a story that unfolds over time. In the DPC model, we have the time to understand that story. We can look at the full picture: your goals, your challenges, your family, your lifestyle, and your long-term well-being. We can address chronic conditions thoughtfully, prioritize prevention, and help you make informed decisions with clarity and confidence.
Most importantly, we believe healthcare works best when it’s a partnership. You should feel heard, respected, and empowered—not rushed or dismissed. When you know your provider and your provider truly knows you, better health outcomes follow.
This blog is part of that commitment. Here, we’ll share insights on preventive care, chronic disease management, wellness, navigating today’s healthcare system, and practical ways to take charge of your health. We’ll also pull back the curtain on why we do things differently—and how that difference benefits you.
This is the beginning of a new journey—for us and for our patients. One built on trust, access, and the simple belief that your health truly matters to us.
Welcome to Four Corners Health Care