Direct Primary Care (DPC) Services

Direct Primary Care is a newer model of care where you pay a monthly fee instead of billing your insurance company for reimbursement. This means we get to decide how care works between us, not what your insurance thinks fits within their budget. 

But why?

DPC allows us to establish a relationship without interference, prioritize your care as deemed medically necessary, and no longer ask permission from a third party not in the room. The fee is age-based as listed below, and you do not pay for office visits (ie. copays) as you're being "billed" directly. This transparency in price avoids any surprise costs of deductibles or coinsurances that come up long after the visit has occured.

DPC's monthly fee is not covered by your insurance. We are taking them out of this conversation, and in doing so taking away their rules we have to abide by if billing through them. 

Do keep your insurance, this fee is for your Primary Care with me. You may need referrals to specialists or labs/imaging which you will use your insurance to pay for. By keeping your insurance, you'll have access to services that I cannot provide: Diagnostic imaging/labs, emergency care, hospitalization, long-term care, and more. 

Will I save more money with DPC?

Short answer: Maybe.

Long answer: Your insurance coverage may actually be cheaper over the course of the year, especially if you have a low-deductible plan. If you're someone who does 3-5 visits per year, it may be either/or compared to someone needing monthly monitoring. Due to medical complexity billing, we won't know what level of care you'll be billed at until we wrap up our visit. DPC eliminates that guesswork and worry with the flat fee each month. Due to the high volume of inquiries, I am asking you to do your own calculations to determine this for yourself.

How will I be billed?

You'll provide a credit card that will be securely charged at the first of each month, prepaying for the month ahead. You can cancel anytime and will be prorated the rest of the month's fee. To do so, you must submit via patient portal.  ***Should your charge be denied, there will be a $10 additional processing fee to fix this payment and bring you current.***

Can Doc Mama's Medicine, LLC terminate my membership?

Yes, termination of the membership is possible, and cannot be solely on the basis of your heath status or protected status. 

Per RCW 48.150.050, “…the direct practice may discontinue care for direct patients if: (a) The patient fails to pay the direct fee...; (b) the patient has performed an act that constitutes fraud; (c) the patient repeatedly fails to comply with the recommended treatment plan; (d) the patient is abusive and presents an emotional or physical danger to the staff or other patients of the direct practice; or (e) the direct practice discontinues operation as a direct practice.”

Can Doc Mama's Medicine, LLC decline to accept someone into the DPC program? 

Yes, as RCW 48.150 states your acceptance may be declined if "the practice has reached its maximum capacity, or if the patient’s medical condition is such that the provider is unable to provide the appropriate level and type of health care services in the direct practice”.

To sign up, let's chat about it at your first visit.