How Ashtabula County Reclaimed Healthcare: Direct Care and Community Plans Beat Corporate Systems

Welcome to another episode of Relocalizing Health, the show where we explore inspiring stories of communities reclaiming healthcare and reshaping the system to serve people, not profit. In today’s episode, host Dave Chase takes us to Ashtabula County, Ohio, a region that transformed itself from a “medical desert” into a beacon of hope for what healthcare can look like when it’s community-powered and people-centered. You’ll hear from three courageous local healthcare leaders: Dr. Brad Schneider, a primary care physician who broke out of the hospital “hamster wheel” to offer direct primary care; Maria Fowler, owner of one of the last independent pharmacies in town, standing strong against corporate chains and unfair pharmacy benefit managers; and Casey Billington, a nurse who helped co-found a revolutionary nurse navigation service that ensures every call is met with a real human; no AI, no runaround. Together, they reveal the staggering ways in which their community-owned health plan is not only saving millions of dollars for local schools and governments, but also restoring compassion and genuine relationships in care. Through their candid stories, you’ll get a front-row seat to the “mafia-like” challenges of the current system, the heartbreak of patients forced to fundraise for life-saving treatments, and the joy of finally making the system work for the people it’s supposed to serve. If you’re a civic leader, clinician, or anyone hungry for proof that healthcare can be both better and more affordable, this episode is packed with hope, practical strategies, and a vision of a future where community truly comes first. Let’s dive in! Timestamps: 00:00 Relocalizing Health: Community Care Revolution 05:45 Rising Patient Load Challenges Doctor 08:01 Burnout as a Family Doctor 11:34 Challenges in Primary Care Access 14:04 Pharmacy System Challenges and Closures 20:10 Barriers to Healthcare Access 23:22 Transition to Direct Primary Care 26:39 Rapid Orthopedic Access Service 30:35 Delayed Doctor Appointment Crisis 34:10 Revolutionizing Healthcare Access & Savings 36:31 Advocating Self-Insurance for All Employers 40:48 Healthcare's Role in Retention & Recruitment 43:26 Direct Primary Care Revolution 46:37 Rethink Healthcare Deserts 51:26 Community-Oriented Business Models Discussed 54:08 Flexible Healthcare Model Success 57:12 Gratitude for Healthcare Professionals Learn More: RosettaFest 2025 - https://rosettafest.org/ Health Rosetta - http://healthrosetta.org/ Nautilus - https://www.nautilushealth.org/ Kynexions - https://kynexions.com/ Dave Chase - https://www.linkedin.com/in/chasedave/ Podcast Website - https://relocalizinghealth.com/