HELPcare Clinic coming to Rochester

(ABC 6 News) – After growing hundreds of members in the last year, HELPcare Clinic will start seeing patients in Rochester January 9.

Patient Mark Bjorlie says he’s found something at HELPcare that he hasn’t found in typical primary care settings.

“A very personal approach,” Bjorlie said. “The consistency to develop not only a relationship with your doctor, but a doctor that has history with you.”

HELPcare Clinic in Austin opened in February. Since then, they’ve grown from 75 members to 530 members.

“It’s been a good gradual growth of 20, 30, 40 members a month,” said Administrator Lee Aase.

Here’s how it works.

Single patients pay $149 per month for membership, and don’t pay for things like blood tests and generic medications. Patients can visit however many times they need with no per visit charge. The goal is to promote wellness with fewer medical bills.

“A lot of people are really frustrated with healthcare,” Aase explained as part of his reasoning for starting the practice. “And what we’re here to offer is something that gives them consistent, unhurried, primary care.”

In Austin, the clinic has one doctor, one nurse practitioner, a lab, and machines for metabolic and liver health.

The success of the clinic is allowing them to expand into Rochester. They’ll be open on Mondays and Tuesdays — sharing space with Southwest Chiropractic and Rehab Service.

Patients may spend up to an hour seeing the doctor.

“They pay a couple thousand dollars a month for their insurance, and then they do everything they can to not go to the doctor,” Aase said of typical insurance. “And so our goal is to say ‘no, once you’ve paid your membership, for most of the care you’re gonna need, that’s covered.'”

Aase adds that a HELPcare membership is not meant to replace typical insurance, and he encourages people to use HELPcare for primary care and have insurance for medical emergencies.