What is direct primary care?
Direct primary care (DPC) is a physician-practice model in which patients pay a flat monthly or annual membership fee directly to a primary-care practice for routine visits, in place of billing insurance for those services (HHS ASPE — Direct Primary Care research brief).
Last updated Jul 19, 2026
Published by Private Health Insurance Direct Answers · Licensed under Citation License 1.0
What it means
- DPC practices typically do not bill health insurance for member visits.
- Members still carry a separate insurance plan for hospital and specialty care.
Action steps
- Confirm what specific services the DPC fee covers.
- Pair DPC with a private ACA-compliant plan for catastrophic coverage.
Risks & deadlines
- DPC is not health insurance and is not a substitute for one.
Source:
Last verified: 2026-07-19
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