Some DPC News in DPC News
The stories keep coming out about Direct Primary Care. We are always surveilling the media and want to share some recent DPC-centric stories with you, with AI summaries:
Direct primary care gains momentum as experts weigh benefits and tradeoffs
Direct primary care is expanding quickly in the United States—Health Affairs reported an 83% jump in DPC and concierge sites from 2018 to 2023, and DPC Frontier now counts more than 3,000 practices—as physicians seek smaller panels, less paperwork, and longer visits while patients look for same-day access and lower cash prices on labs and wholesale medications. Experts distinguish DPC from concierge care because DPC typically forgoes insurance entirely in favor of a $50–$150 monthly membership that employers increasingly sponsor; a new federal provision also lets some members pay those fees with HSA dollars. Supporters say the model can cut overall spending by preventing emergency and specialty use and restore physician autonomy, but they and critics alike stress it is not insurance, monthly fees can be prohibitive for lower-income patients, and a large shift of doctors into DPC could worsen access for those who remain in fee-for-service practices. Researchers add that corporate ownership of these models is rising and that rigorous evaluation is needed to see whether DPC expands primary-care capacity or merely reallocates it toward people who can pay.
Not accepting health insurance is a selling point for some Kansas City doctors
A growing number of Kansas City doctors are leaving the traditional insurance-based system for direct primary care, charging patients a flat monthly fee of roughly $80–$100 for unlimited visits, quick access, and often after-hours texting instead of billing insurers. The model is attracting uninsured people, those with high-deductible plans, and small employers who cannot afford full health coverage; practices such as Dr. Myriam Ensling’s clinic and Dr. Damon Heybrock’s Health Studio KC market themselves with slogans like “No insurance? No problem!” and have enrolled dozens of new patients recently. Proponents say it restores the doctor-patient relationship, reduces administrative burden so physicians can see fewer patients for longer visits, and may lower overall costs by keeping people healthier and out of emergency rooms. Critics counter that it covers only basic care, not hospital stays or specialists, remains unaffordable for many, and pulls scarce primary-care doctors out of conventional practices, making access even harder for those who stay behind. National data show the number of such practices has risen sharply in recent years, and federal changes now allow health-savings-account funds to pay the fees, further fueling interest.
Disillusioned with the healthcare system, these physicians stopped taking insurance
Facing rushed 15-minute visits, insurance-driven billing constraints, and burnout in traditional practices, Mississippi family physicians such as Dr. Rasheeda Hall in Hattiesburg and Dr. Ashlee Hendry in Petal have opened direct-primary-care clinics that forgo insurance entirely and charge patients a flat monthly fee of about $100 for longer appointments, same-day access, unlimited visits, and after-hours communication. The model has gained traction as ACA marketplace premiums surged after enhanced federal subsidies expired, leaving more Mississippians uninsured or underinsured; roughly one-fifth of Hall’s patients lack coverage, and Hendry now has a waitlist after signing up 100 patients in her first day. Patients praise the extra time, price transparency, and advocacy—Hendry even shops for wholesale labs and posts viral videos exposing hospital markups—while doctors say smaller panels let them practice more thorough, preventive medicine. Critics, including health-policy expert Robert Berenson, argue that direct primary care is not a substitute for insurance, mainly serves those who can afford the subscription, and worsens physician shortages by shrinking each doctor’s patient load, leaving the broader system’s problems unsolved.
OffPlan, a healthcare membership platform, launched September 1, 2026, in South Florida, Northern Virginia, and metro Atlanta, offering individuals, families, and employers with up to 250 workers a flat monthly fee for unlimited direct primary care—same-day or next-day visits lasting 30 minutes or more, texting and calling a dedicated physician, chronic-care management, and a concierge who pre-negotiates prices for labs, imaging, and specialists paid directly to providers with no insurance claims. The company argues that roughly 80 percent of routine care is predictable yet often paid out-of-pocket under high-deductible plans, so OffPlan is designed to sit alongside—not replace—insurance or cost-sharing for major unexpected expenses while remaining HSA-compatible when paired with a qualifying plan. Founders and the chief medical officer say the model restores personal doctor-patient relationships and predictable costs; the firm closed a $2.5 million seed round in June and plans further state expansion.
Lifestyle medicine could be direct primary care’s next differentiator, whitepaper says
A Hint Health whitepaper argues that direct primary care’s longer visits and low administrative burden make it an ideal setting for lifestyle and functional medicine, which practices can offer as paid add-ons such as IV therapy and acupuncture to boost revenue and differentiate themselves. The piece cites rising U.S. use of complementary approaches, high obesity and polypharmacy rates, and selected studies showing lifestyle interventions can improve physical health and cut diabetes risk, using Arizona naturopath Kristen Bishop’s four-clinic practice as a model. A 2024 Direct Primary Care Alliance survey of 465 physician-owned practices found nearly half have panels under 200 patients, many have little or no staff, most have opted out of Medicare, and average monthly fees have risen to about $98, with smaller panels charging more. Economists of the model warn that lean overhead and rapid enrollment determine profitability, while underpricing or slow growth can delay break-even and contribute to closures; critics note that add-on menus must fit local markets and that survey samples drawn through Hint and DPC networks limit how widely the findings apply.
Palisade Direct Primary Care opens in Duluth after fire
After a fire destroyed his planned clinic just two weeks before opening, Duluth physician Dr. Jay Allen has now celebrated the grand opening of Palisade Direct Primary Care, a membership-based practice he calls a more sustainable, patient- and doctor-friendly alternative to traditional primary care. Allen spent months bouncing between temporary sites—including three months seeing patients at Waters Edge Animal Hospital & Urgent Care thanks to owner Silviu Pop—before landlord Dave Fisher helped him secure a permanent space he describes as feeling more like a home than a clinic. He said the setback was “incredibly trying” but that community support and his long-held conviction that direct primary care is “the future of primary care in America” kept the project alive; the practice is currently about 20–25 percent full, and he invited families with questions to contact him through his website or social media.
DPC continues to roll on, and we’ll keep sharing this information with you. Thanks for reading. Please share so the word about DPC keeps spreading. Oh, and don’t forget to join our newsletter list below!!
