2026 Enhanced Care Access & Support Program 

For more than 15 years, Osteopathic Family Medicine has been committed to providing thoughtful, relationship-based primary care. Our goal has always been to give you the time, access, and support you need to stay healthy and to help guide you through the healthcare system when care becomes complex. 

Over the years, we have continued to expand the services we provide—often without additional reimbursement from insurance—because we believe this level of care matters. In addition to treating your medical needs, our providers and staff go beyond the standard primary care practice to offer additional services such as longer visits, same-day appointments, phone and video visits, house calls for patients who are unable to come to the office, direct communication with providers, assistance with medical forms, and care coordination.  (See This Link for more information on Value Based Care from the American Academy of Family Physicians)

At the same time, the cost of running an independent primary care practice and the cost of living in Rhode Island has increased significantly. Insurance reimbursements in Rhode Island remain among the lowest in the region, while expenses such as staffing, technology, malpractice insurance, and regulatory requirements continue to rise. (See This Link for more information from the State of Rhode Island) 

Despite these pressures, our priority has been to avoid shortening visits, overloading providers, or expanding our patient panel in ways that would dilute care. 

To allow us to continue providing this level of access and attention—and to maintain long-term stability for our providers and staff—we will be implementing an Enhanced Care Access & Support Program Fee beginning in July 2026. 

Program Fee 

• $155 per year for individuals
• $255 per year for households

 Patients enrolled in state Medicaid programs and others listed below are not required to participate. Insurance will continue to be billed for covered visits and services, just as it is now. 

What This Program Supports This program allows us to continue providing: 

• 20-minute sick and follow-up visits
• 40-minute physicals, well-child checks, hospital discharge and annual wellness visits
• Same-day appointments when medically appropriate
• Convenience of phone and video visits when clinically appropriate
• 24/7 on-call access with a provider from our practice
• House calls for patients who are unable to travel to the office
• Direct communication with your care team via email or text messaging
• Completion of medical forms, referrals, and prior authorizations
• Continued investment in technology that improves quality of care and documentation
• Non-Primary care patients (Botox only, Manipulation only, HRT only treatments)
• A stable, independent practice where patients feel welcome and not treated as a number.

Many practices now offer similar services through concierge models costing $2000-$5000 per year. Our goal is not to move in that direction, but rather to preserve high-quality, relationship-based primary care at a level that remains accessible to our community. 

Exemptions 

The following patient groups will not be charged for the Enhanced Care Access & Support Program.  If you do not fall into one of these categories, but have a financial hardship please complete the Financial Hardship Request form (see link below).  If you need a payment plan, please contact our office. 

• Patients under age 26
• Patients who are either serving in current active duty or a veteran of the armed services
• Patients enrolled in Medicaid Plans
• Patients on hospice or in long-term care facilities
• Patients with severe disability on SSI
• Non-Primary care patients (patients who only see us for Botox, Manipulations, or HRT visits)
• Patients who certify income less than 200% of federal poverty level
• Patients new to our practice, who had their first visit after July 1, 2025

If you are in one of the above groups, please Click here to print and complete a Financial Hardship Exception Request form.  Email, Mail or bring to our office at 55 Cherry Lane, Wakefield, RI.

We recognize that many of our exempt patients may still wish to support the continued availability of independent, community-based primary care. While participation in the Enhanced Care Access & Support Program is not required for exempt patients, voluntary contributions of any amount are welcome and help us maintain the personalized care, access, and services our patients value. Another meaningful way to support primary care in Rhode Island is to contact your state legislators and advocate for fair reimbursement rates from insurance companies and greater investment in primary care services. Strong primary care improves health outcomes, reduces healthcare costs, and helps preserve access to local medical practices within our community.

We understand that any change like this raises questions. We encourage you to speak with us during a visit or by email if you would like to discuss how this applies to you or your family.  Thank you for trusting us with your care. We remain committed to providing the highest quality primary care while ensuring the long-term stability of our practice and providers. 

Please expect your Enhanced Care Access & Support Program invoice/statement in early July.  Patients wishing to complete their payment early, please click here, be sure to enter your name and label the payment as "support fee" on the submission page.

Osteopathic Family Medicine — Spring/Summer 2026 Newsletter

From the desk of Dr. Aaron Way

🌿 A healthy hello for spring and summer

Spring and summer have arrived in Rhode Island. With warmer weather comes more time outdoors, more travel, and more opportunities to focus on prevention.  At Osteopathic Family Medicine, LLC, our goal is to help you stay healthy through every season. This newsletter includes reminders about tick bite prevention, Lyme disease, sun safety, skin checks, summer sick visits, and our July 4th weekend office schedule.

👨‍⚕️🤝👩‍⚕️Enhanced Access Primary Care

We would like to sincerely thank all of our patients who took the time to complete our recent survey regarding the future of our practice and the services we provide. Your feedback was thoughtful, honest, and extremely helpful as we carefully evaluated how to continue delivering the level of care our patients have come to expect from Osteopathic Family Medicine.

After extensive consideration, we have made the decision to move forward with our Enhanced Access Primary Care practice model, this summer.  Our goal with this change in care delivery is to preserve the personalized, relationship-based care model that has defined our practice for many years while helping us maintain provider stability, longer appointment times, enhanced communications, and continued investment in patient care services and technology.

We understand that healthcare costs are a concern for many families, and we are making every effort to keep this change as affordable and accessible to as many patients as possible. A yearly support fee will be implemented for all patients with options for fee exemptions for qualifying patients.

Most importantly, this program is designed to help us continue providing the high-quality primary care, accessibility, and continuity that our patients deserve while allowing our practice to remain stable and independent in an increasingly challenging healthcare environment.

We truly appreciate the trust you place in us and look forward to continuing to care for you and your families.  Updated communication will be sent as details are finalized.

🏥 Two Wakefield locations to serve you

Our two offices are open and offering the full spectrum of primary care visits.

55 Cherry Lane, Wakefield, RI  02879

46 Holley Street, Wakefield, RI 02879

What this means for you:  Highly trained, patient centered providers and Osteopathic care philosophy

Same phone number: 401-284-4555

Full access to preventive visits, sick visits, chronic care, and care coordination

Both locations share the same medical records and patient portal, making scheduling and continuity of care seamless.

🦠 Deer ticks, tick bites, and Lyme disease prevention

Warmer weather also means tick season. In Rhode Island, deer ticks, also called blacklegged ticks, can carry Lyme disease.  Deer ticks can be very small. Young ticks may be about the size of a poppy seed. Adult ticks are larger, about the size of a sesame seed. They often live in grassy, brushy, or wooded areas. Ticks do not fly or jump. They wait on grass, leaves, or brush and attach when a person or animal brushes against them.  

Ways to lower your risk of tick bites:  

     Stay on cleared trails when walking or hiking

     Avoid tall grass and brush when possible

     Wear long sleeves, long pants, and closed-toe shoes in wooded or grassy areas

     Tuck pants into socks when spending time in high-risk areas

     Use an EPA-registered insect repellent as directed

     Check your body, children, and pets after being outdoors

     Shower soon after coming inside

     Dry clothes on high heat after outdoor activities when possible

Common places ticks attach include the scalp, behind the ears, under the arms, around the waist, behind the knees, and the groin area.

If you find a tick attached to your skin, remove it with fine-tipped tweezers. Grasp the tick close to the skin and pull upward with steady pressure. Clean the area afterward.

Please contact our office if you have a tick bite. We can help decide whether any follow-up is needed based on the type of tick, how long it may have been attached, your symptoms, and your medical history.

Call us promptly if you develop a rash, fever, chills, body aches, headache, joint pain, or feel unwell after a tick bite.

☀️ Sun protection and skin health

Sun protection is important for all ages. Too much ultraviolet, or UV, exposure can increase the risk of sunburn, early skin aging, and skin cancer.

Simple sun safety steps:  

     Use a broad-spectrum sunscreen with SPF 30 or higher

     Apply sunscreen before going outside

     Reapply sunscreen every 2 hours, and after swimming or sweating

     Wear a wide-brimmed hat and sunglasses

     Use lightweight long sleeves or sun-protective clothing when possible

     Seek shade, especially during midday hours

     Avoid tanning beds

It is also important to know your skin. Check your skin regularly for new or changing spots. A good rule is to look for moles or spots that are changing in size, shape, color, or texture, or spots that bleed, itch, or do not heal.

If you notice a concerning skin change, please contact our office. We can evaluate the area and help decide whether additional care is needed.

Patients with a history of skin cancer, many moles, significant sun exposure, or a strong family history of skin cancer may need regular skin checks. Please ask us what schedule is appropriate for you.

🧪 Same-day sick visits and in-office testing

Summer does not mean illness takes a vacation. We continue to offer same-day sick visits whenever possible, with in-office testing when appropriate.

Please call us if you develop:

     Fever

     Worsening cough

     Shortness of breath

     Sore throat

     Symptoms that are getting worse instead of better

     A concerning rash

     Symptoms after a tick bite

Early evaluation can help guide the right treatment plan and prevent complications.

💻 Telehealth visits are available

Telehealth visits are available most days and may be a good option if you:

     Are feeling too ill to travel

     Have a positive home test for COVID-19

     Need follow-up for certain concerns

     Want to reduce exposure to others

We are happy to help you decide whether telehealth or an in-person visit is best for your situation.

💉 Preventive care and vaccines

Spring and summer are a good time to catch up on preventive care.

If you are due for a yearly physical, Medicare Annual Wellness Visit, chronic care follow-up, or vaccines, please contact us to schedule.

Vaccines may include:

     COVID-19 vaccines, based on current guidance

     Pneumonia vaccines for eligible patients

     Tetanus boosters when due

     Other age-appropriate or risk-based vaccines

Preventive visits help us catch problems early, review medications, update screenings, and keep your care plan on track.

🎆 July 4th weekend office hours

Our office will be closed:

Friday, July 3 through Monday, July 6

Regular office hours will resume on:  Tuesday, July 7

After-hours coverage remains available when the office is closed.

📞 How to reach us

Phone: 401-284-4555

Patient Portal & Scheduling:

https://myupdox.com/portal/osteopathicfamilymedicine/html/index.html

After-hours care:

Press 1 for non-urgent messages

Press 2 for urgent, non-life-threatening issues

For emergencies, always call 911.

💙 Thank you for being part of our community

We are grateful for the trust you place in us and remain committed to providing thoughtful, preventive, and patient-centered care through every season.

Wishing you a safe, healthy, and enjoyable spring and summer,

Dr. Aaron Way and the Osteopathic Family Medicine Team

Osteopathic Family Medicine, LLC

55 Cherry Lane, Wakefield, RI

46 Holley Street, Wakefield, RI