HELPcare Clinic Rochester

12/22/2025

What if your doctor could hear your body’s *whispers* before it starts shouting?

In our latest Take Charge with HELPcare podcast episode, we introduce Dr. Dawn Jacobson, a Minnesota native and board‑certified physician in preventive, integrative and functional medicine, who will be joining HELPcare Clinic Rochester on January 6.

Many of Dr. Jacobson’s patients come to her saying, “My doctor says my labs are normal… but I *know* something is off.”

In this episode and blog, you’ll hear how she:

- Uses expanded lab panels (often 70+ markers) to see what’s happening at the cellular level
- Listens for the body’s “whispers” before problems become full‑blown disease
- Focuses on root‑cause medicine instead of just symptom management
- Applies the Bredesen Protocol approach to help people protect their brain health and lower dementia risk
- Fits into HELPcare Clinic’s direct primary care membership model so you get unhurried, personalized care

If you’ve ever been told “everything looks normal” but still don’t feel like yourself, this one’s for you.

👉 Read the blog and listen to the full episode here:
https://helpcare.health/2025/12/22/listening-to-your-bodys-whispers/

Know someone in the Rochester area who’s worried about brain health, chronic symptoms, or “mystery” fatigue?
Tag them or share this post so they can start taking charge of their health, too.

Dr. Dawn Jacobson, a board-certified specialist in integrative, functional and preventive medicine, will be joining HELPcare Clinic Rochester as our newest physician starting January 6.

12/11/2025

Why are families in Austin, Albert Lea, Rochester and the rest of southern Minnesota paying over $12,300 more every year for the same health insurance plan people get in the Twin Cities?

Lee Aase dug into the MnSure numbers for a 62-year-old couple and found something shocking:
✅ Same company
✅ Same deductible
✅ Same out-of-pocket max
❌ But premiums are 50–60% higher in our part of Minnesota.

In this new article, Lee breaks down:
• The exact side by side premium comparison
• Why insurance costs so much more here
• How lack of competition and fewer choices drive prices up
• What you can do to start taking charge of your health care and health insurance costs

If you have a high-deductible plan, or you’ve ever wondered, “Why does it cost so much just to live here?”, this is worth 5 minutes of your time.

📖 Read the full article here: https://helpcare.health/2025/12/11/why-does-health-insurance-cost-50-more-in-our-part-of-minnesota/

🔁 After you read it, share it with a friend or coworker in southern Minnesota who needs to see how big the gap really is.

Albert Lea is just an 82-mile drive from Apple Valley, but the gap in health insurance premiums between these two Minnesota communities is enormous.

11/28/2025

If you’ve got a high deductible health plan and a Health Savings Account (HSA), 2026 could be a game changer for your family’s health care costs.

In this short segment from our Take Charge with HELPcare podcast, licensed health insurance agent Kelly Connaughty explains two big changes:

1. All Bronze marketplace plans are now HSA compatible starting in 2026
2. Direct primary care memberships like HELPcare Clinic can be paid with HSA dollars starting January 1, 2026 (in many cases)

He shares a real story of a local couple who felt like “just a number” in the big system, paying $400–$500 more every month for a Silver plan just to get a lower deductible.

Here’s what they did instead:
• Switched from a Silver plan to a Bronze plan
• Joined HELPcare Clinic for their day to day primary care
• Saved about $6,000 per year on premiums
• Got 30–60 minute visits and a doctor who actually knows them

Now, with the new HSA rules for 2026, they can also use HSA dollars for their HELPcare membership, lowering their taxable income and stretching their health care dollars even further.

If you’re in Austin, Albert Lea, or Rochester and you’re tired of avoiding the doctor because of your deductible, this is worth 5 minutes of your time.

▶️ Watch the video to see exactly how the Bronze plan + HSA + HELPcare Clinic combo works.

Then click the link below to see how your family (or your employees) could save even more on HELPcare Clinic membership starting January 1, 2026.

https://helpcare.health/2025/11/28/how-to-save-more-on-health-care-in-2026/

HELPcare Clinic is a direct primary care membership, not health insurance. You should still carry health insurance for major medical needs. HSA eligibility depends on your specific plan and tax situation; talk with your tax or benefits advisor about your circumstances.

11/25/2025

🔍 Ready to take charge of your health insurance? 🩺

HELPcare founder Lee Aase recently sat down with insurance expert Kelly Connaughty of HealthMarkets in the latest episode of the Take Charge with HELPcare podcast. In this timely discussion they dig into huge changes in Medicare Advantage, MnSure premiums, HSAs and how all of this affects folks in Minnesota.

👉 Read the full blog post and listen to or watch the episode here: https://helpcare.health/2025/11/24/navigating-the-open-enrollment-minefield-with-kelly-connaughty-of-healthmarkets/

If you have questions about your plan or how HELPcare Clinic’s Direct Primary Care model pairs with high-deductible coverage, this is a must-read/listen.

Open enrollment season always brings a mix of emotions—confusion, frustration, and sometimes even a little fear—as people try to sort out what’s happening with their health insurance.

10/31/2025

Learn how tax law changes affect your health care and health insurance options for 2026 at HELPcare Clinic Open Enrollment Open Houses, Nov. 1-13 in Austin and Rochester. Get dates and times here:

https://helpcare.health/2025/10/25/helpcare-clinic-open-houses-for-open-enrollment/

10/27/2025

🌟 New Episode: Fixing the Great American Healthcare Heist 🎙️
In Part 1 of our conversation with Chris Deacon, author of The Great American Healthcare Heist, we exposed how America’s healthcare system became a “coordinated heist”—where patients pay more and get less. 💸

Now in Part 2, we turn to the solutions. 🙌

Chris joins our founder Lee Aase and co-host Dan Hinmon to share practical, hopeful ways we can fix what’s broken—by restoring trust, rebuilding relationships, and removing costly middlemen that stand between patients and the care they need.

💬 “Anything that moves the patient and provider closer together is the right direction,” Chris says—and that’s exactly what we’re doing every day at HELPcare Clinic.

🎧 In this episode, you’ll learn:
✅ How Direct Primary Care (DPC) reconnects patients and doctors
✅ Why investing in primary care is the smartest move for employers
✅ How HSA reform makes DPC more accessible than ever
✅ What hospital charity programs (501R) can do to protect patients from medical debt
✅ Why restoring joy for doctors and nurses is key to restoring the soul of healthcare

At HELPcare, we’re proving that there’s a better way—one built on relationships, transparency, and prevention. ❤️
🎙️ Listen to Part 2: “Fixing the Great American Healthcare Heist” with Chris Deacon
👉 https://helpcare.health/2025/10/27/solving-the-great-american-healthcare-heist/

If you’ve ever wondered how we can make healthcare personal again, this conversation will give you hope—and a roadmap for real change.

Chris Deacon discusses how employers, unions, and individuals can take meaningful steps to reclaim control—and restore trust—in the system.

10/25/2025

See the HELPcare Clinic Difference for yourself! Learn how you can use your HSA account for membership in 2026 and save even more!

With tax law changes and premium subsidy reductions going into effect for 2026, it's especially important this year to understand [...]

10/22/2025

Monica Anderson joined HELPcare Clinic to learn more about her thyroid health. She appreciated the more extensive lab testing and detailed explanations of what the results meant, and opportunities to try supplements in addition to her medications.

"I feel like a member of their family, there, not just a patient. They know me, they know my family, they care about our future and our health. I choose to have a membership... because of that service and that custom approach that they have, making me feel like my needs are met, long-term and not just in the quick fix."

https://helpcare.health

10/01/2025

🌟 Take Charge of Your Employee Health Care 🌟

Employers: are you frustrated by skyrocketing health insurance costs and employees skipping care due to high deductibles?

At HELPcare Clinic, we’re changing the game. Precision Signs President Jon Boyer tells how small and mid-sized employers can offer high-quality, personal primary care for $0 out-of-pocket to employees and their families — without breaking the bank.

Watch the video and read the post linked below to learn:
✅ How our corporate membership model works
✅ How combining HELPcare membership with self-funded or level-funded insurance can lower premiums
✅ Real examples of employers who’ve cut costs — some by 20% or more — while improving access to care

📖 Read the full post here ➡️ https://helpcare.health/2025/10/01/take-charge-of-your-employee-health-care/

If you’re an employer (big or small), now’s the time to rethink your benefits strategy. And if you’re an employee, you can share this with your HR team — your health (and wallet) will thank you.

Let’s start a conversation — drop a comment below or send us a message to explore how HELPcare can work for your team. 💬

09/16/2025

For 20+ years, Christy lived with exhaustion and frustration. Then she joined HELPcare Clinic—lost 38 pounds, regained her energy, and even inspired her husband to lose 45! 🙌
Read her transformation story 👉 https://helpcare.health/2025/09/16/from-exhausted-to-energized-christys-helpcare-transformation/

And listen to her interview in our latest episode of Take Charge with HELPcare!

09/11/2025

Join us TONIGHT for “It’s not personal. It’s just Healthcare.” at the Empire Event Center in Rochester.

It’s a compelling 70-minute documentary on what’s broken in the U.S. healthcare system, and what employers across the country are doing to fix it, providing better care at lower cost for them employees.

Social hour is at 6, with the film starting at 7.

Use promo code LEE when you click the link below, and your tickets are free!

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/its-not-personal-its-just-healthcare-tickets-1479111906529?aff=oddtdtcreator

09/05/2025

Hey Rochester-Area Employers! This documentary is for you! Learn why your employee health plan premiums keep going up, hear about proven strategies that can give your employees better care at lower cost to you and to them.

"It's not personal. It's just Healthcare" premieres in Rochester on Thursday, Sept. 11 at the Empire Event Center. Social hour and registration starts at 6, with the screening at 7, complete with popcorn and other movie snacks.

See the preview and get your free ticket here using promo code HELPcare

https://helpcare.health/2025/09/03/see-its-not-personal-its-just-healthcare-in-rochester-thursday-sept-11/.