Dave Leder

Ausink Family Medicine in Selah has big plans for the new year as it moves into a new facility and launches a revised business plan.

The clinic, owned by Tim and Ivy Ausink, recently celebrated its third anniversary at 105 W. Orchard Ave., and will be relocating this spring to the new medical plaza currently under construction off Jim Clements Way.

While the husband-wife team is looking forward to moving into a larger, more centrally located space this spring, they are just as eager to unveil their updated business model, centered around a direct-pay structure — meaning, no involvement from insurance companies. 

“We’re kind of nervous, but we’re also really excited,” said Ivy Ausink, a certified medical assistant who has worked alongside her physician assistant husband off-and-on since 2016. “We have patients of all kinds — some with insurance and some without — and we’re hoping the direct-pay model will help us level the playing field for people in this area to receive top-quality health care.”

Beginning this year, the clinic will offer a variety of monthly membership options, including an $87 package for individuals and $267-a-month family plan (two adults and up to five dependents). A plan for couples ($147) and one for single parents ($117) will also be available.

Members can schedule appointments as often as they would like, while also enjoying telehealth, after-hours care and home-care options. The biggest change is that the clinic will no longer be working through insurance companies.

“Since we are not part of MultiCare, we are being phased out of the federal programs like Medicare and Medicaid,” said Ausink, who also serves as the clinic’s office manager. “They have raised the penalties for compliance issues considerably in 2026, and we decided that it made more sense for us to just work directly with our patients from now on.”

A six-month contract is required for each of the membership plans, while a drop-in fee of $175 will also be offered. As Ausink explained, that’s still less than most bills at urgent care or the emergency room.

“We can treat acute care issues and chronic conditions, and everything in between,” she said. “We feel like the monthly membership fee is pretty reasonable, and it’s going to cost people a lot less than most of the insurance plans that are out there.”

With the cost of health care going up all the time — and the general quality of service on a steady decline — the Ausinks believe the patient-centric model is going to be key as they continue to grow.

The couple hopes to eventually hire another full-time provider, and if they can add 1,000 or more memberships to their rolls, they will be able to increase their already-high level of service.

“We want to spend as much time as possible with each patient instead of sticking to the 15-minute limit that you find at most clinics,” Ausink said. “Right now, we can’t take on any new patients because the demand is so high. But if we can bring in another provider to take the pressure off of Tim, we think a lot of people are going to be interested.”

Ausink Family Medicine is currently serving about 30 people a day, with patients coming from as far away as Seattle and Ellensburg. The couple doesn’t expect all of their patients to sign up for memberships right away, but over time, they believe people will recognize the cost-to-benefit ratio and make the transition.

“We have some diehard patients who are going to take advantage of it right away, but we know that it may take time for others, which is OK,” Ausink said. “We’re starting to communicate our plans with our patients this month, and we hope that by the time we move into our new space in May, people will have gotten used to the idea.”

The clinic has built a solid reputation around the community since it first came on the scene in December 2022. Tim Ausink has been a medical provider in Yakima and Selah for the past 10 years, and his people-first approach has helped build a loyal following.

“People have followed Tim around wherever he has gone, from Yakima Regional to Compassion Family Medicine to Selah Urgent Care. They all love him,” Ivy Ausink said. “We realize this is going to be a big change for some of our patients, but we believe it will allow us to spend more time taking care of people, which is what we’re all about.”

If you would like to learn more about Ausink Family Medicine and their new membership plans, call 509-698-2520 or visit ausinkfamilymedicine.org.