Frequently Asked Questions

Direct Primary Care, or DPC, is a model of healthcare that puts patients first by getting rid of the constraints of third party payer systems. How? It's simple, we don't accept insurance, and – believe it or not – this actually saves you money in the long run.

You won't have to pay a co-pay for office visits or routine physicals. You'll be able to avoid many in person visits altogether by sending your questions directly to us via email and text – something you won't get from a traditional practice.

More importantly, since you are getting all of this thorough care from us, you can cut way back on your insurance premiums. Most DPC patients find a high-deductible, low-premium insurance plan, just so they're covered in the case of a major health issue. But, leave the rest of your child's healthcare to us.

Of course. Everyone benefits from a service tailored directly to them. That’s why we offer truly custom healthcare. We’re here for your child if they're sick or hurt, but we also help your child proactively maintain excellent overall health. Every visit with us will be thorough, relaxed, and as long as you need to address your child's health concerns. The longer your child is our patient, the more we learn about their health and lifestyle, and the better we can help them maintain that health.

The terms are often mistakenly used interchangeably, but they are not the same. Both DPC and concierge practices charge a periodic fee, however, under the concierge model, this fee only gets you access; that is, it doesn't actually cover any of your care. Instead, a concierge practice still bills insurance for your visits. Under DPC, your child's visits and other care are included in the monthly fee.

Here’s a few articles that profile the Direct Primary Care approach to medicine:

• 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
• WRAL Patients Pay Monthly Fee, Not Insurance Co-Pay to See Raleigh Physician

We will accept non-member patients for same day or walk-in appointments. See our prices on the price list.

We charge a flat monthly fee, and in exchange, you get unlimited office visits, your doctor's cell phone number, and a whole lot more.

The fee covers excellent primary care through office visits with no copay. This includes the following: annual wellness exams, sports physicals, school physicals, chronic care office visits, follow-up visits, behavioral/mental health visits, basic office procedures and treatment of acute illness or minor injuries. Because we are able to see fewer patients than insurance based practices, you will have minimal wait times in the office. The fee also covers direct communications with your doctor: phone, text, video chat or email.

We cover full spectrum pediatric primary care, with an emphasis on behavior/mental health conditions such as ADHD, depression, anxiety, OCD, and others.

Having such unprecedented direct access to your doctor will prevent hospitalizations and specialty referrals in many cases. However, when this type of care is required, we will certainly continue to work with the hospitalist during your child's hospital stay, as well as work closely with any specialist. Depending on the level of care and the sorts of expertise required, we may rely on those specialized caregivers to manage your treatment.

Of course! Physician access is one of the greatest benefits of the direct primary care model. Because illness and injury do not respect regular office hours, you may call, text, or email your physician whenever you need.

This sort of care is "baked in" to the DPC model. Because you'll have your doctor's email and phone number, you can reach out to us whenever you need, wherever you are. Some illnesses can be diagnosed and treated with a simple conversation. We’ll also locate the nearest pharmacy and order the medications most appropriate for your child's circumstances.

We maintain high standards of patient privacy. We will never provide your health information to any third party unless you specifically ask that we do so.

Charges will be added and applied to your preferred method of payment. You will be aware of any charges before they take place.

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.

No. Perhaps the most critical distinction in our model of care centers on a direct, personal relationship between you and your doctor. That directness carries over to our business model as well. You might use your auto insurance to fix a smashed fender or other major damages. But you'd never use it to get an oil change (or pay for gas!). For some reason, health insurance is currently being used for the equivalent of oil changes for humans - routine physicals, simple sick visits, simple blood tests, and minor procedures. This just doesn't make sense.

We forgo insurance payments in order to save our patients from the arbitrary, intrusive decisions that come with using insurance. We are able to see fewer patients, and spend more quality time with each patient.

Yes, we take care of any patient regardless of your insurance situation. Since we work completely outside of the insurance system, none of the billing for care we provide is eligible for insurance reimbursement. However, we recommend that everyone have basic insurance coverage, which is still important in the event of a major health issue.

Yes. We recommend our patients continue a major medical plan with a high-deductible and health savings account. If you experience a major health issue, you will still need insurance to help cover it. We’re happy to refer you to insurance representatives who can help customize an insurance plan to your specific needs.

You may want to check with your human resources department regarding the use of Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) and Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs) as possible payment options for your membership. If you are unable to use these funds to pay for the membership fee directly, there is a good chance that you can still use your HSA/FSA as reimbursement for certain services provided through our office.

Unfortunately, no. Your retainer is not yet defined as a "medical expense" in most states and as such is not deductible. Please confer with your tax consultant to clarify tax consequences in your particular circumstances.