As health insurance premiums continue to climb, a growing number of Americans are seeking alternatives to traditional coverage—turning to a model known as Direct Primary Care (DPC).
This approach, which involves patients paying a flat monthly fee directly to their primary care provider, is gaining traction among those frustrated by high deductibles and unpredictable out-of-pocket expenses.
For many, the appeal is straightforward: more predictable costs and a closer relationship with their doctor.
DPC practices typically do not accept insurance, instead offering a menu of services—such as checkups, basic lab work, and chronic disease management—for a set monthly fee.
MPR cited patient paying fees of around $110 per month for their DPC service in Minnesota.
Kim Lang, 64, uses the service of Dr, Nick Krawczyk in Minnesota and says that she is delighted with the arrangement which recently saw her pay seven dollars for some blood work tests. There is no insurance involved and so no co-pays, deductibles or premiums and the doctor provides the tests at cost price.
“If I sent it through regular insurance, and I had to pay for all of it and it came back, it would probably be $75, $90 and because I haven’t reached my deductible, that would all be out of my pocket. So, do I want to pay $70 or $7? No brainer!” she told MPR.
Krawczyk said that as well as offering a more affordable monthly subscription fee to patients, he benefits from a less intense workflow since he left his fee-for-service clinic.
“I was leaving the clinic between seven or eight every night,” he said. “I have two small children, and I’d be in the clinic for six-to-eight hours on Sundays, doing paperwork, and it’s just exhausting,” he said.
Krawcyk conceded he earns less as a DPC provider but says he enjoy his work much more – freed from health insurance and all its bureaucracy and complications.
“In this model, I find out so much more about what’s going on in (a patient’s) life,” he said.
While patients still need separate ‘catastrophic’ coverage for hospitalizations or specialist care, many find the arrangement more transparent and affordable.
According to the Direct Primary Care Coalition, there are now more than 400 DPC practices nationwide, up from just a few dozen a decade ago. Employers are also taking notice, with some small businesses offering DPC memberships as a benefit to attract and retain workers.
The rise of DPC comes as Americans increasingly explore a range of alternatives to traditional insurance. Healthshare plans—where members pool money to cover each other’s medical expenses—are also gaining popularity, particularly among those seeking lower monthly costs.