Do I still need insurance if I have a DPC membership?

Yes, insurance is necessary for emergencies and for certain things that I can’t provide like surgery or hospitalization. For cost efficiency, I recommend choosing a high deductible plan which allows you to save money on insurance premiums while having coverage in place for unexpected emergencies. I would also avoid HMO plans if possible, which limit payment for testing to in-network primary care physicians. After that, I will provide as much care as possible within the practice to make it so you never have to use your insurance. Think of health insurance like car insurance, it’s there only for the big things, not the oil changes and tire rotations. Doing it this way can save a lot of money.

Can I still use my insurance if I have a DPC membership?

Insurance will not cover your monthly membership fees at a DPC practice, and we don’t bill insurance for any of the labs we draw or medications we stock. If desired, your insurance will most likely still cover any order that I send to a hospital lab such as for labs or imaging studies or medications that I send to pharmacies. However, depending on your insurance plan and deductible, it is possible that the cash prices we offer through our clinic may be lower than these prices even after insurance adjustment. An exception to this is most HMO plans which limit payment to things ordered by in network primary care physicians. I recommend confirming with your insurance company if orders will be covered by an out-of-network physician if you intend to use insurance for testing that I order within the practice.

What additional costs might there be with a DPC membership besides the membership fee?

The membership covers the cost of all office visits and communications as well as basic testing performed with equipment we have within the office like EKG and point-of-care Ultrasound. Testing such as labs that are drawn in the office but sent out to a laboratory will be charged separately at deeply discounted prices compared to hospital labs. Medications stocked in the office will also be charged separately at wholesale pricing.