Is Direct Primary Care the Solution to Our Health Care Crisis?

Direct primary care (DPC), a reformulation of concierge medicine, has intrinsic appeal to overburdened physicians. Its advocates promise a competitive income at a fraction of the volume of patient responsibilities, and they claim it as a patient-friendly, consumer-driven strategy that can meet the needs of patients across the economic spectrum. In my observation, DPC membership fees are typically $600 to $1,500 per year, lower than concierge practice fees. The value proposition to patients is unlimited access to their primary care physician and all services provided within that physician’s office. The value proposition to employers is a potential reduction in their medical insurance premiums if they adopt DPC combined with a wrap-around plan that covers non-primary-care services for their employees. However, there are potential downsides to DPC, which this article will discuss.