Bass Pro Shops to add direct health care clinic to Springfield location
Bass Pro Shops will add a health center to its national headquarters campus this fall.
The family health center will be in the former Greyhound station adjacent to the campus. It will deliver primary and preventative care, as well as treatment of acute and chronic conditions, to Bass Pro Shops employees and dependents who are 2 and older.
“We are excited to deliver the best and most convenient health care available to our Ozarks area Outfitters and their families,” said Johnny Morris, Bass Pro Shops founder, in a press release. “We are grateful for the continued hard work and dedication of the ‘World’s Foremost Outfitters.’ We hope that the facility will provide benefit and peace of mind for our people and their families for many years to come.”
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The facility will also have a drive-up pharmacy. Janet Glaser, Bass Pro Shops senior public relations manager, said the family health center will offer discounted services.
Direct health care company Premise Health will operate the family health center, according to the press release. Premise Health operates clinics for Disney, Walgreens, Toyota and Capital One.
Direct health care differs from a typical health care plan in the fact that it gets rid of a third-party, like insurance providers, that partially pay for care and can direct where money is spent.
"Direct health care, in a nutshell, is providing care directly to employees and dependents, or the members of large organizations," said Jami Doucette, president of Premise Health. "Premise, as an organization, is the one delivering care to" members of the organization.
Premise also ensures that privacy is upheld when it comes to medical information, Doucette said.
"We're an independent provider; we're not working as the company physicians. We're working for the member," he said. "Completely different platforms, completely different systems, so there really is a separation between the company or the employer and Premise, the provider, in delivering that care."
The company also follows Heath Insurance Portability and Accountability Act guidelines.
Those with insurance through Bass Pro Shops are able to use the family health center "as an added bonus," Glaser said, and may still keep their providers if they wish.
Susan Szuch is the health and public policy reporter for the Springfield News-Leader. Follow her on Twitter @szuchsm. Story idea? Email her at sszuch@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Springfield News-Leader: Bass Pro Shops Springfield campus to add direct health care center
