June 2025
Welcome to new Dandelion Health members!
After a pause on new members in April, we onboarded members in May and June. It is a pleasure to partner with each of you in becoming and staying healthy. We are booked for new patients through the end of July. New inquiries at this point will be asked to call us back on Aug. 11 to proceed with membership. We will continue to accept newborns throughout this time.
Service Changes between August 1st and August 17th, 2025:
Dr. Joe and Dr. Dianat will be on vacation August 1-17 for a long needed rest. Our team is still here to care for your needs. Here is how you will be affected:
Urgent concerns: Our team will continue to assist you for any urgent clinical needs, with coverage by the wonderful Dr. Marissa Esquivel of Magnolia Grove Direct Primary Care. Please contact us as you normally would.
Pharmacy CLOSURE July 22, 2025 and August 17, 2025: Please be aware our in-house pharmacy will be closed to new prescription requests between July 22nd and August 17th. If you need medications from our pharmacy during the closure, please notify us as soon as you are able so we can ensure it is available and can be prepared for pick-up. Requests after that date will be reviewed on August 18, 2025.
Medication refills to outside pharmacies: ALL REFILL REQUESTS must be submitted by July 21, in order to be reviewed and prescribed to your preferred pharmacy before our departure. This will ensure that Dr. Joe and Dr. Dianat can help you continue the care you need while they are gone.
Administrative needs: The office will remain open for administrative requests (billing questions, appointment scheduling, etc) during our normal business hours.
Reminder: Solidarity Scale Pricing Changes
We have introduced a Solidarity Scale for our membership prices. Prices are no longer based on member age.
Note: Anyone who joined before May 2025 is a Founding Member. For Founding Members, your price will NOT increase.
Current members ages 60+ have had an automatic decrease in membership price to $85/month starting the payment due after June 1, 2025. Some people have chosen to keep paying their current amount to support our Solidarity Scale.
If you are 40 years and older and interested in decreasing your membership cost, please review the Solidarity Scale Self-Assessment to determine if you qualify for the “Solidarity Membership” ($70/month).
All members: If you feel able and willing to pay a higher rate to offset someone else’s membership in the community, please reach out to let us know. You can either choose to update your membership to our new “Full Cost Membership” ($85/month), or you can select the “Redistribution Membership” ($105/month).
Thank you as always for trusting us with your primary care. Please let us know if you have any questions by emailing care@dandelionhealth.com
Public pools are open! Water Safety:
One of our favorite things about Richmond is that the City has 7 outdoor public swimming pools that are free to everyone and open between now and September 3:
Randolph Public Swimming Pool, 1507 Grayland Ave.
Battery Park Pool, 2719 Dupont Circle
Powhatan Pool, Powhatan Community Center at 5051 Northampton St.
Fairmount Pool, 2000 U St.
Blackwell Pool, E. 16th St. & Everett St.
Woodville Pool, 2305 Fairfield Ave.
Hotchkiss Field Pool, 701 E. Brookland Park Blvd.
This is a great way to cool off in the Virginia summer heat. Some offer lanes for lap swimming.
Tragically, drowning is the number 1 cause of death in children ages 1-4.
These are evidence-based tips for keeping children safe near water. If you prefer to listen.
Whether or not you enjoy water activities, we encourage anyone who doesn’t know how to swim to take advantage of the City’s free swim lessons for children and adults–some of these begin June 16!
There are many other opportunities, including the YMCA, VCU, and private aquatic centers for learning to swim. Please consult your doctor if you have any questions or concerns.
Community Partner Spotlight: Access Now
Access Now is a local program that offers free specialty care for those without insurance, who meet financial eligibility criteria. We help with eligibility screening to determine if someone qualifies. We have been collaborating with Access Now and are proud to share that our patients have been able to receive free and reduced cost consultation from specialties like gastroenterology, nephrology, neurology, dermatology, and podiatry and services like physical therapy, sleep studies, EMGs, MRIs, CT Scans, and XRays covered. If you or someone you know fears that they are unable to access specialty care, please check out their eligibility requirements and available services. Contact us if you have any questions.
Please consider donating to support their work.
Be safe, enjoy the summer, stay hydrated, and see you around Dandelion Health sometime soon.
Sincerely,
Dr. Dianat, Dr. Joe, Natasha, and Mónica
