Hy-Vee is opening a health clinic in the heart of Ames.
Hy-Vee Health’s Exemplar Care is opening soon at 632 Lincoln Way in the former Joann Fabric and Craft location in Lincoln Center. The local grocery chain is expanding its membership-based primary care model to a growing number of Iowa communities.
What is Exemplar Care?
Exemplar Care started partnering with Hy-Vee in January 2024.
The healthcare model, often referred to as direct primary care, is designed to simplify how people access healthcare. Instead of navigating copays, billing codes or unexpected charges, members pay a monthly fee that covers their care.
“It’s designed to make healthcare simpler, more accessible and more predictable for our members,” Carl Behne, Exemplar Care president and chief strategy officer, told the Ames Tribune.
Exemplar Care’s model is built around access
Exemplar Care offers several membership tiers, each aimed at different levels of need.
The Exemplar Care Complete membership includes both primary and walk-in care for a single monthly fee. Members can schedule visits as often as they need, and all care is included.
The experience is designed to feel straightforward, Behne said. There are no copays at the time of visit and no surprise bills afterward. Members can reach their care team directly by phone, message or telehealth, and same- or next-day appointments are available with online scheduling.
Exemplar enrollment will open with the new clinic
Once the Ames clinic opens, individuals will be able to enroll online or in person. Behne said the membership structure is meant to create an ongoing relationship with a care team rather than a series of disconnected visits.
Memberships can be used on their own or alongside insurance, depending on what works best for each person.
Exemplar Care also partners with employers across the Midwest to offer memberships as a workplace benefit, a trend Behne said helps improve access while managing overall healthcare costs.
Exemplar Care expanding across Iowa and the Midwest
Hy-Vee Health Exemplar Care currently operates 13 locations across the Midwest. Seven of those are in Iowa, including clinics in Ankeny, Bondurant, Cedar Falls, Cedar Rapids, Coralville, Davenport and West Des Moines.
The Ames clinic will add another option for residents seeking predictable, relationship-centered primary care.
Behne said the team is preparing to welcome new members as soon as doors open later this spring.
Ronna Faaborg covers business and the arts for the Ames Tribune. Reach her at rfaaborg@usatodayco.com.
This article originally appeared on Ames Tribune: What is Exemplar Care? Hy-Vee joins healthcare field with Ames clinic
Reporting by Ronna Faaborg, Ames Tribune / Ames Tribune
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