FAQ

Direct Primary Care, or DPC, is a model that returns to the root of health care by putting patients first. By separating patient care from traditional insurance, DPC allows timely access, longer visits and less red tape.  For more information about DPC, visit our About Direct Primary Care page.

Glacier DPC was the first pure DPC practice in the Flathead Valley and one of the first in the state of Montana for that matter. The direct patient-doctor relationship allows for personalized care, directly from your physician. Dr. Tabor-Manaker is the physician-owner and her husband Doug is the office manager. No other employees – seems pretty simple!

Yes. One of the great things about Glacier DPC is it enhances the patient-doctor relationship and allows for better access to a doctor for health maintenance issues in addition to unexpected problem visits.  Should an unexpected medical issue pop up – your timely access to your doctor will get you back on the road to recovery faster!

No, we don’t, and that is the advantage of Glacier DPC.  By removing the “middle man ” from this picture,  Dr. Tabor-Manaker can focus on you during the visit. The need to stare at a screen and click boxes is not a barrier in direct care. With more time for visits due to fewer constraints – you and Dr. Tabor-Manaker drive your healthcare plan.

As of now, membership is available to those 18 years of age and up.

If you are traveling and it’s an emergency, seek care immediately. For non-emergent matters, contact Dr. Tabor-Manaker. With your authorization, we can speak to out-of-town providers to clarify your medical history. In most states Dr. Tabor-Manaker can call in forgotten medications into pharmacies. It will be important to follow up on your care when you return home.

If it is an emergency, call 911 or seek care at the emergency room. If it is not an emergency but you feel you need prompt care, you can contact Glacier DPC at any time.

It’s a simple formula for great health care: Less documentation + direct patient billing = longer visits and increased patient/doctor satisfaction. To better explain this concept , many DPC doctors will describe a “car insurance analogy”. If you own a car, you have car insurance. You have that insurance in case you have an accident to cover major repair costs. It would be silly to bundle everyday car items (car washes, wiper blades, gas, new tires) into that insurance. However, we know we need those routine items so we budget for those. We pay for these out of our own pocket. In this analogy, direct primary care is the everyday items for which you budget. At Glacier Direct Primary Care, you can pay for your doctor with some of the money you would be using towards your yearly deductible – all while having your physician’s e-mail address, cell phone number and access to quality care.

Though we don’t accept it- we still want you to have it. Sound weird? You do not need insurance to come to Glacier DPC. In fact, we won’t even ask to see an insurance card. HOWEVER, we do recommend that our patients have health insurance to cover the cost of hospitalizations, specialist referrals,  imaging, labs, etc. If you can’t afford health insurance GDPC allows you to have primary care at a low monthly cost.

Absolutely! In fact, Dr. Tabor-Manaker has a special interest in geriatrics. While the membership cost is not covered by Medicare, we’ll take care of you. But we cannot bill Medicare and you are not allowed to submit bills to Medicare for reimbursement of Glacier DPC services.  Labs, imaging and supplies can still be ordered by Dr. Tabor-Manaker and covered normally by your Medicare.

Unfortunately, no. The membership fee is considered a retainer and not a medical expense by IRS standards.

If hospital care is needed, Glacier DPC can work with the hospital by providing any needed charts or information to ensure the best care possible. If possible, we can make a courtesy visit to you in the hospital if you wish, but we do not make care decisions while you are there. We will be sure to have a post-hospitalization or post- ER follow up visit with you in a timely manner. We can also refer you to the appropriate specialists if that need arises and work with those specialists to coordinate your care.  

As a member of Glacier DPC, you will be able to contact Dr. Tabor-Manaker through telephone, email, and text, so you will always have access to the doctor.

Please see our Benefits and Services page for more details. 

No. Insurance does not cover any of Glacier DPC’s fees.

If you want short wait times, same or next day appointments, phone calls returned promptly, clear pricing and no surprise charges, then we just might be for you. For more information or to see if we are accepting new patients contact us.