I am on vacation visiting two of my kids in California. I happened to Google Direct Primary Care and the above result came up. Cool. So I hit the link. Here’s an image from their site:
Awesome.
Wait….what? They accept insurance? Yes. “Hoag Prime accepts most major PPO and Medicare Supplement plans. Your insurance will be billed for any clinical visits.”
This is concierge care. This is not Direct Primary Care. As Reacher says (I like the show), details matter.
To be fair, I did not see Direct Primary Care on their site so their marketing team must be paying Google to use it on their paid ads, but you can see how this is confusing and sullies the DPC name.
For more info on the difference between DPC and Concierge Care just click here.
Dr. Farrago is a retired family physician based in Forest, Virginia. Since 2021, he has run DPCnews.com, a leading resource for the Direct Primary Care (DPC) movement.
He is the author of three best-selling books on Direct Primary Care:
The Official Guide to Starting Your Own Direct Primary Care Practice
The Direct Primary Care Doctor’s Daily Motivational Journal
Slowing the Churn in Direct Primary Care (While Also Keeping Your Sanity)
In 2016, Dr. Farrago conceived the idea for the Direct Primary Care Alliance and co-founded the organization alongside other pioneering DPC physicians. He is widely recognized as a leading expert in the DPC model and frequently lectures to medical students, residents, and practicing physicians on how to successfully start and run their own DPC practices.Dr. Farrago sold his Direct Primary Care practice in October 2020 but continues to receive care there as a patient.
