Certus Health

Certus Health has licensed healthcare consultants who assist individuals and families, the self-employed, and small business owners in choosing the right type of health coverage that is not only safe and reliable, but that it also fits your budget and needs. Our licensed healthcare consultants are licensed in the state of Texas to sell health insurance products.

Certus Health and various healthcare providers in Houston have joined forces to create a "wholesale club" that gives self-pay families access to this providers at published, wholesale prices. This club is called the Certus Health Routine Care Wholesale Club. Top

Ivan Parra is GM and VP of Business Development for Certus Health. Mr. Parra is responsible for healthcare provider relations, strategic alliance strategy, and small/medium business sales. He has held consulting, financial management, and sales management positions in the healthcare, automotive, sub-prime financial, real estate, and telecom industries. Mr. Parra holds a B.S. from Duke University in Electrical and Biomedical Engineering, an M.S. from the University of Texas, and an MBA from the Wharton School of Business.

Ana B. Sanchez-Vivas is VP of Operations for Certus Health. Ms. Sanchez-Vivas is responsible for direct-to-consumer sales and customer service. Her managerial experience includes operational and sales management roles in the frozen food and agricultural product sectors. More recently, she was an economics advisor to the City of Yumbo, Colombia, where her team implemented programs in cooperation with the private sector aimed at lowering the dependence on government assistance for healthcare and education. Ms. Sanchez-Vivas holds a B.S. in Economics and International Business from the Universidad Santiago de Cali in Cali, Colombia. Top

Certus Health’s corporate office is at 2202 Huldy St, Suite 400, Houston, TX 77019. Our phone number is 832-239-5444 and our hours of operation are Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 5:30 PM. Top

Is the Certus Health Wholesale Club, health insurance or a valid substitute for health insurance?

No, the Certus Health Wholesale Club is NOT health insurance. Certus Health can help you find safe, affordable, and complete health coverage. Just fill out a FREE consultation request form and one of our licensed health care consultants will contact you in 24 hours to go over your options. Certus Health strongly encourages all members and prospective members to have health insurance – the Certus Health Wholesale Club is a complement to health insurance, but it is NOT a substitute for health insurance. Top

No, Certus Health is NOT a discount card. Unlike medical discount cards, Certus Health does NOT contract with a medical provider network. Certus Health has created our own provider network for self-pay patients and we have direct, formal agreements with all the participating routine care providers.

Medical discount cards give consumers PERCENTAGE discounts off the RETAIL price for medical services. With the Certus Health Wholesale Club, you get predetermined, published, wholesale prices. You will know exactly how much a visit to the routine care provider will cost before going there. Top

Will I pay less for services through the Certus Health Wholesale Club than if I negotiated directly with a provider?

Yes. Certus Health brings together hundreds of families to provide attractive self-pay patient volume to the participating routine care providers in the network. Volume and administrative cost reductions is what makes it possible for the participating providers to pass along savings to you.

Certus Health and its participating providers invite you to call as an independent to ask for the best cash price and to compare that against the Certus Health Wholesale Club price. You will see that the Certus Health prices will be the lowest. Top

There is no pre-existing medical condition qualification requirement for a Certus Health Wholesale Club membership because Certus Health is not health insurance.

The only thing that is required to become a Certus Health member is your membership fee, which you can pay on an annual basis or monthly. Join now. Top

There is no age qualification requirement for a Certus Health membership because Certus Health is not health insurance.

The only thing that is required to become a Certus Health member is your membership fee, which you can pay on an annual basis or monthly. Join now. Top

What kind of routine care providers does Certus Health work with? Are these providers credible and reputable?

To read the profiles on all our participating routine care providers, please visit the Healthcare Providers page. The Certus Health Savings Club is a premium product, as demonstrated by the high quality of our participating routine care providers. Top

Please follow this link for a map with all the participating providers in the Certus Health Savings Club network. Top

No, you must pay at time of service – absolutely no exceptions. Certus Health’s participating providers will give you a wholesale price on the advertised services under the strict requirement that you pay them at time of service.

For services that are not advertised, the participating provider and you are at liberty to negotiate a price and a payment plan for those services. Top

How much can I expect to save by buying a Certus Health Wholesale Club membership?

$129.00 a year for you and your family living at the same address ($69.00 for one person). However, through August 31, 2008, we’re offering the Certus Health Wholesale Club FREE for you to try out. Join now. Top

Yes, you can choose a monthly payment option instead of the annual payment option, and pay $14.99 a month ($7.99 a month for one person). However, through August 31, 2008, we’re offering the Certus Health Wholesale Club FREE for you to try out. Join Now. Top

You can include as many family members as you’d like, as long as they live at the same address as you. Top

Can my 23-year old son/daughter be included in our Certus Health Wholesale Club membership?

Go to the Join Now page and purchase your Certus Health Wholesale Club membership online. Top

What will I receive after I purchase a Certus Health Wholesale Club membership?

A temporary Certus Health Wholesale Club Card through August 31, 2008. This needs to be presented to our participating providers in order to receive the Savings Club rate. To receive a permanent membership card you will have to buy a membership.

A temporary Wal-Mart Pharmacy Savings Card through August 31, 2008. This needs to be presented to Wal-Mart pharmacies and vision centers in order to receive the Savings Club rate. To receive a permanent membership card you will have to buy a membership.

A membership guide which contains information on how to use your membership cards. Top

Absolutely! You can try the Certus Health Savings Club for 30 days RISK-FREE. If for ANY reason, you are not satisfied with the service from our participating providers or the savings you received, just call 832-239-544 and we will reimburse you in FULL. Top

Visit the Healthcare Providers page to review profiles and prices
Call the phone number at the location where you’d like schedule an appointment
Inform the person taking your appointment that you are a Certus Health member
Remember to present your Certus Health Wholesale Club Card in order to receive the advertised prices.
When visiting any Wal-Mart pharmacy or Wal-Mart vision center, remember to take your Wal-Mart Pharmacy Savings Card.
Remember to bring your driver’s license or a valid proof of identification - the providers will check it with your membership card(s). Top

What do I do if the convenience care provider I went to discovers that I have developed a chronic disease?

If you have diabetes, we recommend our diabetes specialists, Diabetes America. The Certus Health Wholesale Club does not have other specialists, but we’re continuously adding healthcare providers, so make sure you check our website regularly for new additions.

If you have health insurance (and you should!), check with the health insurance company to find a specialist. If you haven’t met your deductible, you would pay the rate that the insurance company has negotiated the healthcare provider.

Buying a family health insurance policy gives you financial protection against the high costs of chronic illness care. If you would you like to receive a free consultation from one of our licensed healthcare consultants, fill out a FREE consultation request form , and we will contact you within 24 hours. There is absolutely NO OBLIGATION to buy.

If you don’t have health insurance, it is too late to buy one – you will be declined. Therefore, your next options are the following:

If you have diabetes, visit our diabetes specialists, Diabetes America
Get a job with a company that provides health benefits
Sign up for the Texas Health Insurance Risk Pool (http://www.txhealthpool.org/)
Explore what you can legally do to become eligible for coverage under a relative’s health insurance policy, as either a dependent or a domestic partner. Top

As a consumer you have the right to go where you like to get laboratory services. With the Certus Health Wholesale Club you can get your labs done with My Healthy Access. Just inform your doctor that you have a discount agreement with a lab and that you need a work order. You will then schedule a time with My Healthy Access and remember to take the work order (and your membership card).

In the case where the doctor you’re visiting has an in-house lab, it is a good idea to compare My Healthy Access’s prices to the prices that the doctor can give you. Sometimes it is more affordable to get the doctor’s visit and the labs done in one place. Top

As a consumer you have the right to go where you like to get imaging services. With the Certus Health Wholesale Club you can get your imaging services, such as MRIs, ultrasounds, CT scans, and X-rays done with Excel Diagnostics. Just inform your doctor that you have a discount agreement with an imaging center and that you need a work order. You will then schedule a time with Excel Diagnostics and remember to take the work order (and your membership card).

In the case where the doctor you’re visiting has in-house X-ray machines, it is a good idea to compare Excel Diagnostics’ prices to the prices that the doctor can give you. Sometimes it is more affordable to get the doctor’s visit and the X-rays done in one place. Top

The Certus Health Wholesale Club does not provide access to urgency or emergency centers. If you have health insurance (and you should!), check with the health insurance company to find an in-network urgent care center or emergency center.

Buying a family health insurance policy gives you financial protection against the high costs of emergency care. If you would you like to receive a free consultation from one of our licensed healthcare consultants, fill out a FREE consultation request form, and we will contact you within 24 hours. There is absolutely NO OBLIGATION to buy. Top

What do I need to do if I have been seen by a doctor who I really like and would like to continue seeing, but he/she’s not in Certus Health’s provider list?

Certus Health is adding routine care providers and specialists on a continuing basis. Certus Health invites providers into the program based on word-of-mouth from consumers who value a self-pay patients and the patient-doctor relationship unencumbered by third parties.

If you would like to see your favorite provider join the Certus Health provider network please let us know at providers@certushealth.com. Certus Health will contact the provider, set up a time to visit him/her to explain the participating provider program and invite him/her to join our network of participating providers. Top

Our licensed health consultants sell health insurance. Please visit the Affordable Health Insurance section to learn more about our health insurance products. Certus Health has licensed insurance agents who specialize in helping individuals and families find safe, high-quality, affordable health insurance policies.

Buying a family health insurance policy gives you financial protection against the high costs of unexpected emergencies and chronic illnesses. If you would you like to receive a free consultation from one of our licensed healthcare consultants, fill out a FREE consultation request form and we will contact you within 24 hours. There is absolutely NO OBLIGATION to buy.

Please remember that before purchasing any individual health plan, it is important to verify that the carrier and agent are licensed. Verifying that the carrier is licensed protects you against fraud. You can verify the carrier at:

https://apps.tdi.state.tx.us/pcci/pcci_search.jsp

No, you must go to one of the participating providers listed in the Healthcare Providers page. Certus Health has direct agreements with only these providers and they will be the only ones who will honor your membership credentials.

If you have a favorite healthcare provider and would like to see him/her join the Certus Health provider network please let us know at providers@certushealth.com. Certus Health will contact the provider, set up a time to visit him/her to explain the participating provider program and invite him/her to join our network of participating providers. Top

What if I already have family health insurance? Is a Certus Health membership useful to me?

It depends. If you and your family have employer-sponsored low-deductible, full co-pay insurance, and your share of the premiums is small, then the answer is NO. Keep in mind though that there is a greater than 50% chance that will develop a major medical condition that could lead to the loss of your job and your medical benefits. You would be creating a medical and pharmaceutical history that could make you uninsurable or force you to pay higher premiums in the future should you lose your job and need to get your own health insurance policy.

If you and your family have your own low-deductible, full co-pay insurance, then the answer is YES. You should consider switching to a high-deductible, low premium health insurance plan, complemented by an accident gap policy and the savings in routine care from the Certus Health Wholesale Club. To learn more, fill out a FREE consultation request form, and one of our licensed healthcare consultants will contact you within 24 hours to discuss your health coverage options. There is absolutely NO OBLIGATION to buy.

If you and your family have a high-deductible, low premium health insurance plan, you can use the Certus Health Wholesale Club membership to save on convenience care, prescription medicines, dental care, vision care, and preventive labs and imaging services. Top

What if I already have Medicaid or the Gold Card? Is a Certus Health Wholesale Club membership useful to me?

It depends. If you value an excellent customer experience, a nice office environment, fast appointments, prompt service, and can pay the prices advertised in the Healthcare Providers page, then you will certainly find value in a Certus Health Wholesale Club membership. Top

* Certus Health publishes the services and prices that third party providers want to advertise to the public. Certus Health is simply an advertising venue and does NOT negotiate or establish prices for the third party providers. Certus Health does not guarantee the compliance of third party providers with regard to availability, specialties, or cost for the services advertised in this website.

Frequently Asked Questions