How Much Does Direct Primary Care Cost?
If you’ve become frustrated with having to wait a week or longer to see your doctor, you might be interested in exploring alternatives to the traditional primary health care model. One option is direct primary care (DPC), a practice model in which patients pay a set monthly membership fee up front without any third-party involvement. You can see your DPC doctor as often as you like – without the hassles of dealing with an insurance company.
The DPC Advantage
As a DPC member, you establish a close and productive relationship with a doctor you trust. You benefit from same-day or next-day appointment availability for non-emergency urgent care and routine preventive care, as well as telemedicine consultations via voice, video conferencing, and SMS text. And, you never have to worry about meeting high deductibles, paying on-the-spot copays, or completing complicated insurance forms in order to receive the primary health care services you need.
The Monthly Membership Fee
If all of this sounds great, your next question is probably, “How much does it cost?” Like many people, you are probably concerned about the rising cost of health care. In fact, according to the most recent data available from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), the average American spent $9,596 on health care in 2012, which was up significantly from $7,700 in 2007.
You might be surprised to learn that DPC is quite affordable. At Optimum Direct Care, a DPC practice located near Orlando, FL, our membership fees range from $40 to $150 per month based on a patient’s age. We also offer group discounts. And, because we’ve completely eliminated health insurance companies and other third-party payers from the primary health care equation, you don’t need to pay high insurance premiums for primary health care services (however, we do recommend that you still carry “catastrophic” insurance coverage for health-related emergencies, hospitalizations, and specialist care for complex illnesses and injuries).
If you’re considering DPC, contact Optimum Direct Care. We’ll be happy to answer your questions and tell you more about our practice and our doctor, Dr. Toni “Muzzi” Muzzonigro.