Rising healthcare costs, changing insurance guidelines and government intervention have changed the face of medicine in America. To navigate the complexity, a typical doctor’s office dedicates a significant amount of time to manage insurance paperwork. Doctors dedicated to patient care are looking for ways to change this dynamic. Direct Primary Care is an innovative alternative that cuts through the bureaucratic barriers and increases patient access to a primary care physician for an affordable cost.
Nacogdoches-based family practice physician Eddy Furniss, M.D., is introducing Furniss Direct Health, a new membership practice that offers East Texans a personalized, direct-care relationship for a fraction of the cost of traditional insurance. Furniss Direct Health patients pay a one-time registration fee and a monthly membership fee, much like they would for a gym membership. In return, members receive exclusive benefits like unlimited office visits, same/next-day scheduling and deeply discounted pricing on labs and tests.
“Furniss Family Medicine is not going away,” Dr. Furniss said. “I will continue to serve Furniss Family Medicine patients with private insurance. We’ve created Furniss Direct Health as an alternative for people who choose to manage health care costs differently.”
Furniss Direct Health is helping patients challenge the rising costs of health care by partnering with Liberty Direct, a government-approved cost-sharing program that is compliant with the Affordable Care Act mandate to purchase health insurance. Liberty Direct monthly costs are clearly defined, so people can quickly determine savings. Qualified members will receive a stipend that substantially reduces Furniss Direct Health membership fees and, in the case of an individual, completely covers the monthly membership cost.
“I am so impressed with Liberty Direct that I have elected to use it for myself and my family in place of health insurance,” Dr. Furniss said. “In addition to being designed to compliment services provided by a family-care practice, Liberty Direct allows us to remove many of the financial barriers insurance puts between patients and physician.”
Furniss Direct Health patient members have no long-term contracts or commitments. Membership fees are due at the end of each month and are deducted through a direct debit or credit agreement.
Furniss Direct Health members may also be covered by another approved health share plan. Patients covered by Medicare, Medicaid or traditional insurance considered “in network” for Furniss Family Medicine are ineligible to join Furniss Direct Health due to existing contract restrictions and government regulations.
If you are interested in becoming a Furniss Direct Health patient member, please call Furniss Family Medicine at (936) 559-0700 for individual, family or employer plan pricing. More information is available online at LibertyDirect.org and at FurnissDirectHealth.com.
Nacogdoches is home for Dr. Furniss. After graduating from Nacogdoches High School, he attended Louisiana State University and earned a general studies degree in premedical coursework. He was a 4 year letterman in baseball culminating a sterling four-year career by receiving the 1998 Dick Howser Trophy as college baseball’s most outstanding player. He is a member of the LSU Athletic Hall of Fame, the National College Baseball Hall of Fame, and the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame.
Dr. Furniss completed medical school at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston and trained at John Peter Smith Family Residency in Ft. Worth where he served as Chief Resident. Dr. Furniss is Board Certified in Family Medicine. In 2010, he opened his private practice in Nacogdoches. Dr. Furniss expanded services with the grand-opening of Furniss Direct Health in 2016.