Want to know more about Direct Primary Care? Let’s Fix That!

Direct Primary Care (DPC) uses a monthly membership fee to give you access to high-quality primary care services.

Instead of paying per visit and dealing with insurance billing for routine care, you pay a DPC doctor a flat monthly fee that generally ranges from $65 to $85 per adult and substantially less for children. In return, you get most primary-care services covered as well as easy access to your doctor between visits.

What does that look like for you? Research published by the Society of Actuaries found that DPC doctors have smaller patient panels, of typically 200-600 patients, as compared with 3,000 or more for traditional, insurance-based practices.

Smaller patient panels mean more time with each patient, so that office visits at DPC clinics average 40 minutes per visit versus 13-16 minutes per visit at traditional practices.

With so much extra time, you can ask questions, talk through options, and leave feeling heard. Many clinics also offer same- or next-day appointments and let you reach your doctor directly by phone, text, or email—which helps to prevent small issues from turning into big issues.

DPC membership usually includes preventive care, chronic-condition management, minor procedures, and coordination when you need tests or specialist input. Many DPC practices also help you find affordable cash prices for labs, medications, and imaging. The ability to access cash prices also lets you know the cost before you say yes, which is often not true with traditional medicine.

The research published by the Society of Actuaries also found that, when compared with patients receiving traditional primary care, Direct Primary Care patients enjoyed fewer hospitalizations (by 19.9%) and fewer trips to the emergency room (by 40.5%), thereby buttressing the argument made by many Direct Primary Care doctors that DPC keeps patients healthier.

To sum things up, Direct Primary Care is designed to be straightforward and transparent. You pay a flat monthly fee (similar to a gym membership), you know what’s included, and you have an ongoing relationship with a doctor who knows you.

So, if you want easy access to a doctor, longer visits, and clear, predictable costs for everyday care, DPC may be a great fit for you and your family.

Even better, a recent change to federal law means that health savings account (HSA) dollars can be spent on DPC monthly membership fees starting January 1, 2026. The limits are $150 per monthly per individual and $300 per month for families in 2026, with those limits set to increase with inflation in later years.

Please note that Atlas Direct insurance premiums do not cover the cost of Direct Primary Care services, which must be purchased separately from a DPC doctor or clinic.

Pan-American Life Insurance Company (the insurance company that underwrites Atlas Direct insurance) is not affiliated with the Direct Care Foundation (which is the association that sponsors the Atlas Direct insurance product) or with any Direct Primary Care provider or clinic.

Membership in the Direct Care Foundation is required for eligibility for Atlas Direct insurance coverage and underwriting approval is required to purchase coverage. Refer to our brochure for complete terms and conditions.