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What is Direct Primary Care (DPC)

Direct Primary Care (DPC) is an innovative healthcare model where physicians partner with their patients to provide primary care services under a flat, periodic membership fee. By moving outside of the administrative burdens of the traditional insurance-based billing system, DPC practices are able to provide a wide spectrum of care in a transparent, affordable manner. DPC practices—now a grassroots movement numbering over 1000 nationwide—are able to do this while offering patients a higher level of service, communication, and relationship, than what is often found in our dysfunctional healthcare system.

Philosophically, the model is intended to restore the patient-physician relationship without the intrusion of insurance companies. 



For a practice to qualify as a Direct Primary Care practice the practice:

  • Charges a periodic fee
  • Does not bill any third-party payors on a fee-for-service basis, and
  • Any per visit charge must be less than the monthly equivalent of the periodic fee

It's often been said that "once you see one Direct Primary Care practice, you've seen one Direct Primary Care practice', benefits of the Direct Primary Care (DPC) model generally include:

  • Same physician every visit
  • True continuity of care
  • Wholesale prices on medications, lab and diagnostic testing (dependent on State Law)
  • Extended office visits
  • Home visits
  • Minor surgical procedures
  • Chronic medical condition management
  • Acute injury/illness management
And, DPC is not just good for patients. It allows primary care physicians to discover their full potential and joy in practicing medicine.


The DPC Alliance is a Maine based nonprofit membership association.


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