How does this work with our existing health insurance?

Fishtown Medicine complements your existing insurance. We handle primary care, chronic disease management, and mental health support. Your insurance covers specialists, imaging, hospital care, and catastrophic events. Many employers offer us as a value-added benefit at no cost to employees, which reduces utilization of expensive insurance claims overall.

Pricing depends on group size and coverage level: - Small Groups (10-50): $150 to $250 per employee per month. - Mid-Market (51-500): Custom pricing based on volume. - Enterprise (500+): Strategic partnership with shared savings model. All plans include unlimited virtual care, direct physician access, and health navigation.

Do employees need to switch from their current doctor?

No, employees do not need to switch from their current doctor. Fishtown Medicine augments their existing care team. Many members keep their established specialists while using us for primary, preventive, and urgent care.

How do you measure success?

We measure success with detailed reporting on: - Utilization: How many employees are actively using the benefit. - Cost Avoidance: ER visits prevented, specialist referrals avoided. - Health Outcomes: Chronic disease management, preventive screenings completed. - Satisfaction: Employee Net Promoter Scores (NPS) and qualitative feedback.

How quickly can we launch?

Most groups launch within 30 to 60 days from contract signing. The timeline depends on group size, integration with existing benefits administrators, and how much customization the employer wants.

Is this a replacement for traditional insurance?

No, this is not a replacement for traditional insurance. Fishtown Medicine is a primary care benefit that pairs with your existing insurance plan. Employees still need insurance for hospital care, specialist procedures, and catastrophic events.

Can we offer this only to certain employee groups?

Yes, you can offer this only to certain employee groups. Many employers start with a pilot for one office, one shift, or one role group, then expand. We help you design enrollment rules that match your benefits strategy.

Is the data HIPAA compliant?

Yes, all clinical interactions and stored records are HIPAA compliant. HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) governs how protected health information is handled. Our platform partners and Fishtown Medicine clinical workflows meet those standards. ---

TL;DR · 30-second take

Fishtown Medicine offers a virtual-first Direct Primary Care benefit for Philadelphia employers. Members get unlimited primary care, mental health support, and chronic disease management, which often reduces total medical spend by 11 to 15 percent and lowers ER and specialist usage.

Healthcare That Actually Works for Philadelphia Employers

Fishtown Medicine partners with local businesses to reduce total medical spend by 11 to 15 percent while increasing employee engagement. Our virtual-first model handles complex, chronic care, not just minor urgent issues, so your team stays healthy, productive, and out of expensive hospital systems. For HR leaders, the appeal is concrete: fewer ER visits, fewer specialist referrals, and a benefit your team actually uses. For employees, it is access to a real doctor in minutes, not weeks.

The Problem with Traditional Employee Health Benefits

Your employees have health insurance. But do they have healthcare?

ER Overuse: Philadelphia ERs are overcrowded and expensive. Your employees use them because they cannot get timely access to their PCP (primary care physician).
Specialist Leakage: Traditional PCPs refer out 20 to 30 percent of cases to specialists, driving up costs and creating fragmented care.
Benefit Fatigue: Most "telemedicine" add-ons are underutilized because they only handle colds and minor issues.
Hidden Costs: The real expense is not the insurance premium. It is the downstream cost of delayed care, unnecessary ER visits, and chronic disease progression.

Fishtown Medicine solves all of this.

The Financial Argument: Proven ROI for Philly Employers

Reduce Total Cost of Care by 11 to 15 percent

Every $1 invested in our primary care model produces an estimated $13 in downstream savings by:

Preventing expensive ER visits (large reductions in ER use in our member population).
Resolving 87 to 90 percent of cases inside the platform, which avoids unnecessary specialist referrals.
Catching chronic conditions early, before they become catastrophically expensive.

Divert From Expensive Philly Hospital Systems

Philadelphia ERs charge $1,500 to $3,000 per visit for issues that are included in a membership with a single text to Dr. Ash. We keep your employees out of Penn Medicine, Jefferson, and Temple ERs for non-emergencies.

Stop "Referral Leakage"

Traditional PCPs refer out constantly. We resolve 87 to 90 percent of cases without external referrals, which saves you from facility fees, specialist copays, and fragmented care coordination.

The Clinical Product: Detailed, Not Transactional

Unlike legacy telemedicine apps that offer one-off prescriptions for colds, Fishtown Medicine provides a longitudinal medical home, meaning continuous care over months and years.

What We Actually Treat

Chronic & Complex Care: More than half of our cases involve managing diabetes, hypertension, metabolic syndrome, and cardiovascular risk.
Mental Health: We treat the majority of low- to medium-acuity mental health issues (anxiety, depression) directly, without external referrals.
Preventive Medicine: Advanced lipid panels, metabolic testing, cancer screening coordination.
Acute Care: UTIs, sinus infections, skin issues, minor injuries, resolved same-day by text or video.

In-House Multispecialty Coordination

Your employees do not just get a PCP. They get Dr. Ash collaborating with board-certified specialists in cardiology, dermatology, and oncology, all coordinated within our platform.

Integrated Behavioral Health

Mental health is healthcare. We provide integrated behavioral support for anxiety, depression, stress management, and sleep issues, keeping care fast, accessible, and stigma-free.

Engagement: Built for the Philly Workforce

We solve benefit fatigue by being a service employees actually want to use.

High Activation Rates

We achieve activation rates as high as 39 percent, nearly double the industry standard. Our partnership with Little City Montessori is proof of concept. Teachers, staff, and families actively use the benefit because it genuinely improves their lives.

Violet Certified Inclusivity

We provide culturally competent care, specifically for LGBTQ+ employees. In a diverse city like Philadelphia, that inclusivity drives higher engagement and better health outcomes.

Turnkey Implementation

We make it easy to launch.

Announcement Toolkits: Pre-built email templates, posters, and webinar slides.
On-Site Launch Events: Dr. Ash can visit your office, restaurant, or school to introduce the benefit.
Zero Admin Burden: We handle enrollment, onboarding, and ongoing support.

Custom Solutions by Business Size

For Mid-Market & Enterprise

Easy Integration: We integrate with benefit administrators (for example, Collective Health) using eligibility file feeds and outbound claims files. Detailed Reporting: Quarterly Business Reviews (QBRs) with utilization reports, ROI tracking, and employee health trends. Custom Pricing: Volume-based pricing with options for family coverage.

For Small Businesses (The "Small Biz Portal")

Zero Admin Heavy Lifting: Set up your group in minutes with no complex paperwork. Simple, Flat Pricing: A predictable monthly rate per employee with no hidden fees and no long-term minimum commitments. Flexible Funding: Can be offered as a taxable fringe benefit (similar to a gym membership or stipend), making it an easy thank-you or retention tool for small teams.

We act as an outsourced HR layer for medical logistics, reducing the administrative burden on your staff.

Health Advocates

Our team handles:

Billing disputes
Insurance prior authorizations
Medical record transfers
Pharmacy coordination

Curated Local Referrals

When in-person care is required, we guide employees to high-value, in-network Philadelphia providers, so they avoid high-cost, low-quality black holes.

Hybrid Capabilities: We Meet You Where You Work

To make sure no employee is left behind, Fishtown Medicine offers a physical presence that national apps cannot match.

Mobile & Workspace Clinics

We can deploy workspace clinics directly to your office, restaurant, school, or parking lot.

Flu shots
Physical screenings
Biometric testing
On-site consultations

We bring the doctor's office to the job site to minimize time away from work.

Who This Works Best For

Service & Hospitality Industry

Problem: High turnover, tight margins, limited time off for medical appointments.
Solution: Text-based care that fits into a shift break. Mobile clinics at the restaurant or hotel.

Professional Services & Tech

Problem: High-stress environments, mental health needs, performance optimization.
Solution: Preventive care, mental health support, executive health optimization.

Education & Nonprofits

Problem: Budget constraints, mission-driven teams, diverse workforce.
Solution: Affordable, inclusive care that demonstrates organizational values.

Small Businesses (10-50 Employees)

Problem: Cannot afford traditional health insurance or want to supplement it.
Solution: Simple, flat-rate pricing with no admin burden.

Proof Points: Local Success Stories

Little City Montessori (Philadelphia)

Industry: Education
Result: 39 percent activation rate within 3 months. Teachers report reduced stress and improved work-life balance. Admin time for HR reduced by 50 percent.

[Your Next Success Story]

Industry: Your Industry
Result: Let's write it together.

Get Started

We offer free consultations for Philadelphia employers. No pressure, no sales pitch, just an honest conversation about whether this makes sense for your team.

The Process

Warm Invitation Call (20 min): Discuss your team size, current benefits, and pain points.
Custom Proposal: We send a detailed proposal with pricing and ROI projections.
Pilot Program (optional): Start with a small group to prove value before scaling.
Launch: We handle everything: enrollment, onboarding, and ongoing support.

Book Your Warm Invitation Call

Ready to Offer Healthcare That Actually Works?

Let's have a conversation about your team's needs. No obligation, just an honest discussion about whether Fishtown Medicine is the right fit. Book Your Warm Invitation Call

Fishtown Medicine provides virtual-first and mobile clinic services throughout Greater Philadelphia. We partner with businesses of all sizes, from 10-person teams to enterprise organizations. Medical Disclaimer: This resource provides clinical context for educational purposes. In the world of Precision Medicine, there is no "one size fits all"; the right plan must be matched to your unique lab work, physiology, and goals. Consult Dr. Ash to determine if this approach is right for you, especially if you have chronic health conditions or are taking prescription medications.

Frequently Asked Questions

Common Questions

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