Newswise — Monterey, CA (January 5, 2012) – Nearly one in four Fresno residents is without any kind of health care coverage. MedLion, Inc., a pioneering Direct Primary Care practice, today announced the company’s expansion into the Fresno region by including William Work, M.D., in its fast-growing network of affiliated physicians. Dr. Work is a highly respected physician in the region and the latest to join MedLion’s direct primary care practice which provides patients access to high quality and affordable personalized primary care without the high cost and burdens associated with traditional health insurance.
“As people lost their jobs during this economic downturn, so too have they lost their health care coverage and have either gone without routine, preventive medical care or turned to emergency rooms for their care,” said Work. “MedLion is the solution to the crisis of the under and uninsured by providing affordable comprehensive primary care and I’m delighted to be part of this cutting-edge model of care.”
Nearly seven million Californians lacked health insurance in 2010, more than any other state, according to a study by the California Healthcare Foundation released in December. Twenty-four percent of working, non-elderly (65 years old and younger) Californians had no health insurance, four percent higher than the national average. According to the study, individuals who earned less were more likely to lack insurance and nearly one in five Californians with family incomes between $50,000-$75,000 lacked insurance.
“MedLion is doing what no other health care model does in California,” said Samir Qamar, M.D., who developed MedLion in Monterey in 2009. “We close the gap between government run, employer sponsored and uncompensated charity care by offering affordable, high-quality, direct primary medical care without the hassle of traditional HMOs.
Fresno employers will also benefit from the new MedLion practice. More than 16,000 small companies—those with less than 50 employees—operate in the metro area, and each could see significant cost savings when switching over to the MedLion direct primary care model.
“With the MedLion model in place and growing quickly, people now have more choices and greater control over their personal healthcare,” added Qamar “Our successful growth shows that Americans are desperately seeking options to high-cost health insurance plans, options that don’t require them to choose between paying the rent and taking care of their health.”
MedLion is currently in Monterey, San Francisco, Mountain View, Oakland and Fresno and hopes to have hundreds of practices nationwide in the next 10 years. MedLion offers direct primary care for only $59 a month—$39 for seniors and $19 for children—with $10 office visits.
For more information please visit www.MedLion.com or call (888) 880-0007.
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