What is Direct Primary Care?
Direct Primary Care, or DPC, is a model of healthcare that puts patients first by getting rid of the red tape that constrains traditional practices.
How? It's simple: we charge a one time membership fee that covers all your primary care office visits.
This membership is coupled with discounted medications and labs.
Believe it or not – this actually saves you money in the long run.
How will this save me money?
You won't have to pay a co-pay for any office visits or routine physicals.
You'll be able to avoid many visits altogether by sending your questions directly to us via email and text – something you won't get from a traditional practice.
We've negotiated some pretty good deals for prescription medications, blood tests, and even x-rays on your behalf. And, we pass those savings right on to you.
More importantly, since you are getting all this amazing care from us, you can re-think and adjust your insurance premiums. Most DPC patients find a high-deductible, lower premium insurance plan so they're covered in the case of a major health issue. But leave the rest of your healthcare to us.
I'm pretty healthy and rarely go to the doctor. Is doctor direct right for me?
Awesome, you're healthy. Good health is what we all strive for. Chances are, however, you will at some time get unexpectedly sick or have an inconvenient accident or injury. My Doctor for life will be there for you, able to give you the care you will need without long waits or expensive Urgent Care co-pays or ER fees.
With out-of-pocket deductibles close to or over $5,000, it doesn’t take much more than a trip or two to Urgent Care or the ER for the cost of My Doctor for life the low annual fee.
Is this the same as concierge medicine?
Yes, sort of… but with a few distinct differences. Concierge medicine has traditionally described a medical practice for wealthy patients who pay an expensive premium upwards of $5,000 annually to see their doctor. Direct Primary Care does offer patients concierge like service and personalized primary care.
However, direct primary care like My Doctor for Life offers membership fees that are much more affordable (typically only $500-1000/ year). This makes personal healthcare without hassles affordable to everyone.
Want to know more about Direct Primary Care?
Here’s a few articles that profile the Direct Primary Care approach to medicine:
WRAL Patients Pay Monthly Fee, Not Insurance Co-Pay to See Raleigh Physician
FORBES: Direct Primary Care: Restoring The Doctor-Patient Relationship
TIME Medicine is About to Get Personal
US News Physicians Abandon Insurance for Blue Collar Model
AARP The Doctor Will See You But Not Your Insurance
American Academy of Family Physicians Direct Primary Care
Membership Questions
How much does membership cost? Is there an enrollment fee?
See our prices on our pricing page. We charge a flat annual fee and in exchange you get unlimited office visits, some procedure & lab testing, your doctor's email address & cell phone number, and a whole lot more. We don't charge an enrollment fee when you sign up.
What does the membership fee cover?
The fee covers all of the office visits you may need with no copay, ever.
This includes the following: annual wellness exams, sports physicals, school physicals, chronic care office visits, follow-up visits, basic office procedures and treatment of acute illness or minor injuries, all with minimal wait times in the office.
The fee also covers direct communications with your doctor: phone, text, email or video chat. Our active members also have access to discounted labs, prescriptions and special procedures pricing not included in the membership fees.
What medical conditions do you care for?
We treat all kinds of common everyday problems like colds, flu, strep, rashes and injuries.We also treat more complicated long term medical problems like adult diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and thyroid disorder.
What happens if I need to go to the hospital?
Our physicians will coordinate a patient’s care with the hospital’s team and there isn’t an extra charge for this service. If you require hospital care you will likely be under the care of a specialist, and that’s not covered by our fee. Other hospital charges and associated costs will still apply. That’s when your insurance will come in. Our healthcare team will then pick up your care upon discharge. They will work closely with the specialists and hospital team upon admission and discharge so that there is continuity in all of your care.
Can children become members too?
No. Doctor for life currently accepts patients 18years and older.
Can I contact my physician after hours?
Of course!
Although we like to try and answer most routine questions and calls during office hours, we realize illness and injury don't always happen between 9am-5pm.
You may call, text, or email your physician whenever you need.
Physician access is one of the greatest benefits of the direct primary care model.
What if I need medical attention while I’m away from home?
We'll be there for you~ via phone, email or text.
Because you'll have your doctor's email and phone number, you can reach out to us whenever you need, wherever you are.
Many illnesses can be diagnosed and treated with a simple conversation.
We’ll help you locate the nearest pharmacy and order the medications most appropriate for your circumstances.
If you need to go to the hospital or seek other medical attention while away from home, we can advise you on that as well.
Are my medical records ever shared with government agencies, insurance carriers, pharmaceutical companies or employers?
In a nutshell, no.
Patient privacy is a natural benefit of this medical model and we maintain high standards of patient privacy.
We will never provide any third party with a copy of your records, unless you specifically ask us to do so or if My Doctor for Life is legally required to so.
When do I pay my fees for non-covered labs and procedures?
Charges will be added at the time of service and applied to your preferred method of payment.
In other words, you can pay for those at the time of service with cash, check or credit card.
What if I decide to cancel?
We expect to have an open, honest, respectful relationship with you.
If you have voiced a complaint that we cannot satisfy together, we will gladly allow you to terminate your membership. However, your membership will not be refunded as our services are heavily discounted to provide affordable health care.
Insurance
Do you accept insurance?
Our sister company Essential Healthcare accepts insurance! And that is a bonus for both you and us.
Perhaps the most critical distinction in our model of care is that the patient & doctor are front and center.
We do only what is best and right for every patient, without restrictions on medication formularies, networks or authorizations.
When patient and a doctor work together like a TEAM,healthcare becomes simple.
And when all the red tape is removed, healthCARE becomes affordable.
Think of your auto insurance. You use that for emergencies and accidents, right?
You don't expect your auto insurance to cover oil changes and tire rotations.
Now apply that same logic to health insurance.
Use health insurance for the "big stuff" like surgery or hospitalizations.
But primary care... Well, that's routine maintenance, much like your car's oil change.
So make it simple and leave health insurance out of the exam room.
I don't have insurance - can I still join?
Yes, we are especially here for you! We take care of any patient regardless of your insurance situation.
Since we work completely outside of the insurance system, none of what we do here is eligible for insurance reimbursement.
As a patient, will I still need health insurance?
Yes. We recommend that you do have insurance to comply with Federal Law.
My Doctor for Life is not an insurance plan, nor does it replace insurance.
Ideally, we encourage our patients to carry a high deductible, major medical plan or a plan with a health savings account.
Having a high deductible or a share plan ensures financial help should hospitalization or referral to a specialist be necessary.
You should consult with your insurance provider to help you find a plan that works best with our medical model and that will meet your specific needs.
If I have Medicare, can I still join?
Yes. However, your annual membership fee cannot be submitted to Medicare for reimbursement.You will be asked to sign a waiver that declares that neither you nor your doctor will directly bill Medicare for your membership fee.
Medicare and medicare supplemental insurance will still cover medical costs that you incur outside of My Doctor for Life
For example, prescriptions that you fill at an outside pharmacy, or labs run at an outside lab, or hospital charges, physical therapy, x-rays and scans can still be covered by your Medicare. You do not lose your Medicare coverage for other medical needs just because you are a patient of
My Doctor for Life.
Is the membership fee eligible for HSA or FSA reimbursement?
This is a question that has a tough and confusing answer.
HSAs & FSAs are a smart way to pay for your health care needs with pre-tax dollars. IRS regulations make it pretty clear that all DPC services are covered medical expenses reimbursable through HSAs and FSAs, but at the same time, the IRS claims that DPC memberships are health plans, and therefore fees are not reimbursable when employees combine DPC with any other “health plan” (like the catastrophic or high deductible insurance most DPC patients need).
It gets even more complicated as the Affordable Care Act and many state laws have clearly stated that DPC plans are not insurance. The issue is being addressed at the federal level with legislation called the Primary Care Enhancement Act.
In the meantime, the best thing to do is check with your health plan, insurance broker or employer.
I already have insurance, won't I be paying twice for the same services?
In many ways, patients already are paying twice: co pays, co-insurance, deductibles, non-covered services, out-of-network charges, the list goes on…The average family of four pays over $4,000 and as high as $15,000 in out of pocket medical expenses over the course of a year.With Direct Primary Care, like My Doctor for life you can save hundreds, even thousands of dollars in out of pocket costs.
Become a patient at MyDoctor for life and get more value for your healthcare dollars.