Healthcare when you work for yourself in Independence

Make your next healthcare step easier to see

SakeOf is a healthcare membership built to help you organize care around your needs. Members can select direct-service and discount features, choose their own providers, get help reviewing medical bills, and access voluntary community funding for eligible expenses through Full Service. Rather than starting with a particular facility, start with the care you need and the membership features that may help you arrange it.

For Independence residents, local planning matters: reviewed sources did not verify a healthcare facility in Independence itself. Nearby Kingwood resources include Preston Memorial Hospital, a Vandalia Health primary-care location, and the Preston County Health Department. Check the organization’s location and confirm its services, appointments, availability, and costs before traveling.

Use everyday-care features that fit your routine

Zero Copay Telemedicine is an optional feature that can provide a virtual point of contact when it is selected and active. It may be a convenient way to begin addressing a non-emergency concern. Choose in-person care when the situation calls for an examination, testing, or another service that needs to happen locally.

Rx and Prescription Benefits is another optional feature. Review its active terms when arranging a prescription, and confirm medication details with the treating provider. Mental Health and Counseling may include an immediate problem assessment, supportive counseling, follow-up with the original counselor when available, and crisis support. Psychiatry and medication costs are not included simply because counseling is active; check whether another active benefit or program expressly addresses a particular service.

Virtual Primary Care is an optional feature with a $15 monthly adjustment. Its current bundled service tier requires Rx and Prescription Benefits, Zero Copay Telemedicine, and Mental Health and Counseling to remain active. The feature includes virtual primary-care access, a dedicated physician relationship with ongoing virtual follow-up support, an annual virtual wellness visit, and chronic-care follow-up or medication-management support when clinically appropriate for virtual care.

Choose the in-person provider that fits the care you need

SakeOf lets you choose a provider for in-person care. For an exam, lab, imaging, specialist visit, or hospital service, contact the provider directly to confirm it can meet your needs and to ask about appointment arrangements, payment options, and a service-specific estimate. Ask whether facility and professional services are billed separately.

The Preston County Health Department in Kingwood lists clinical and public-health services such as immunizations, communicable-disease services, HIV/STD testing and counseling, and tuberculosis screening. Contact the department to confirm current services, appointments, availability, and costs. Preston-Taylor Community Health Centers lists clinics and services in its regional area, including Preston County; contact the organization to find which location and services are relevant to you.

Preston Memorial Hospital in Kingwood describes itself as a critical access hospital and publishes price-transparency and financial-assistance information. Request an estimate for the specific service and ask about possible separate professional charges. Posted charges can differ from a patient’s final costs. CMS offers information about hospital price-transparency requirements and consumer resources. ^www.cms.gov

Turn a confusing bill into a clearer conversation

Full Service advocacy can help members understand medical bills, review charges, and seek fair pricing or negotiation support. Keep the itemized bill and related correspondence so the review can get underway. An itemized bill is required for submissions and should include service dates, provider information, and CPT or HCPCS codes when available. SakeOf may request medical records, clinical notes, billing records, or other documents to review eligibility, medical necessity, and fair pricing.

Submit complete documents within six months of the service date. Submit a balance bill, denial, or payment demand within 10 days of receiving it. These timelines give you a practical checklist for acting promptly when a bill arrives. Fair-price review and advocacy can support the process, but do not promise a particular price or result.

Understand support for larger eligible expenses

For larger eligible medical expenses, Full Service brings together member advocacy, bill review, and voluntary community funding. Sharing depends on program eligibility, documentation, and rules; review the membership details to understand the applicable member commitment before relying on sharing. If you expect a substantial bill, ask the provider for a written estimate for the specific service and whether other charges may be separate.

For maternity, Maternity Care is a Full Service feature when offered and selected. It has a $5,000 member responsibility per eligible pregnancy, followed by community sharing of up to $25,000, subject to program rules. The member must keep membership and the feature active, selected, and current for at least 12 months before conception. The benefit period runs through six weeks postpartum. Review the feature terms as part of comparing membership options.

Match extra features to the care you use

Optional features also include dental and vision discounts, chiropractic and acupuncture, physical and occupational therapy, and durable medical equipment. They apply when selected and active and are subject to their program terms. Compare the options with the care your household expects to use, then confirm service details and costs with the provider before scheduling.

A useful next step is to try the SakeOf calculator and Savings Guide to compare membership options and features. Use provider search to explore care choices, or ask Jordan to help you think through the next step. For public-program information, WV PATH supports screening and applications for programs including Medicaid and WVCHIP; eligibility and benefits vary. ^bms.wv.gov