Direct primary care is a membership-based way to receive routine primary care without the usual insurance paperwork, co-pays, and rushed appointments.
Direct primary care, often called DPC, is a relationship between patient and physician. Instead of billing insurance for every visit, the practice charges a monthly membership fee.
That membership model reduces administrative overhead and gives the practice more room to provide longer appointments, easier access, and more personal care.
DPC works because the practice is not built around volume. Carolina Medical Group can care for fewer patients than a traditional insurance-based clinic, which means more time for each patient.
In traditional insurance-based care, patients often deal with monthly premiums, deductibles, co-pays, coinsurance, and out-of-pocket maximums. Even with insurance, many patients pay significant costs before coverage meaningfully helps.
With direct primary care, your routine primary care relationship is simpler. Your monthly membership covers many of the services patients commonly need from a family medicine practice.
Insurance may still be important for emergencies, hospital care, specialist visits, imaging, and major medical events. DPC is not a replacement for every type of healthcare coverage. It is a better way to handle routine primary care.
The exact numbers vary by plan, but many traditional insurance plans follow a familiar pattern: a deductible phase, a co-insurance phase, and then an out-of-pocket maximum before the next calendar year resets.
This example shows how one traditional insurance plan might work over a calendar year. Jane's plan has a $1,500 deductible, 20% co-insurance after the deductible is met, and a $5,000 out-of-pocket limit.
Early in the year, Jane has not reached her $1,500 deductible yet. Her plan does not pay toward covered office-visit costs yet, so Jane pays 100% of those medical expenses. If an office visit costs $150, Jane pays $150 and Jumbo Insurance pays $0.
By the middle of the year, Jane has reached her $1,500 deductible, so co-insurance begins. For her next $75 office visit, Jane is responsible for 20%, which means she pays $15 and Jumbo Insurance pays the remaining 80%, or $60.
Toward the end of the year, Jane has reached her $5,000 out-of-pocket limit. After that point, Jumbo Insurance covers covered expenses for the rest of the plan year. On January 1, the deductible and out-of-pocket limits reset.
Direct primary care does not replace major medical insurance. It gives routine primary care a clearer membership price so everyday visits are easier to plan for.
Direct primary care may be a good fit if you want a family doctor in Greensboro who has time to know you, clear pricing for routine care, fewer surprise costs for covered visits, and more access when you or your family need help.
Direct primary care replaces per-visit insurance billing with a predictable monthly membership. That means Dr. Merrell can care for fewer patients, spend more time with each one, and skip the paperwork that gets between you and your care.
Keep your insurance for emergencies, hospital care, and specialists. Membership covers the everyday primary care you actually use most.
Request an appointment online or call the office. We'll help you understand membership and find a time that works, no pressure, no insurance runaround.