Question 1

Who does DPC benefit the most?

Accepted Answer

DPC works well for most people and is ideal for:

1. People with lower cost, high deductible insurance policies ( "catastrophic plans") 
2. People who value wellness and want to stay healthy 
3. People with complex medical histories that require frequent medical visits and more time with their physician
4. People who want to take control of their healthcare spending, without government or insurance interference 
5. People who do not qualify for Affordable Care Act (ACA) subsidies due to income
6. People who are self-employed
7. People who receive no or little insurance from their employer
8. People who are between jobs and have no insurance coverage, or those whose insurance coverage has been cancelled.
9. People who understand the importance of primary care and having a physician who knows their medical history who can coordinate their care and advocate for them in the complex healthcare system

In addition, busy working professionals, small business owners and their employees, and families find that DPC is a better healthcare delivery model due to convenience, affordability and accessibility

Question 2

Do you take care of children? Older folks? Pregnant people?

Accepted Answer

Dr. Nguyen is trained and board certified in family medicine with obstetrics, though she no longer provides obstetric care. She can take care of pregnant patients for conditions not related to pregnancy, in collaboration with an obstetrician. 
​
Family physicians can care for patients from birth to end of life. At our practice, we currently limit our patient population to 7 years and older, due to being unable to provide vaccinations at this time. Patients 7 years old and up may receive vaccinations at a pharmacy. This may change in the future - Dr. Nguyen greatly enjoys caring for newborns and young children.

Question 3

Is this concierge medicine? What is the difference between DPC and concierge?

Accepted Answer

DPC practices:
Typically do not bill insurance (unless the practice is a hybrid practice)
Monthly fee averages $100 or less per month for individuals
Patient loads (panels) of 400-600 patients per physician
Focus on reducing medical costs for patients
​
Concierge practices:
Typically accept money from insurance and bill an annual membership fee in exchange for better access to the physician
Membership fees are higher, hundreds to thousands per month
Patient loads (panels) of 100-300 patients per physician
Focus on “premium” services such as “executive” physicals/labwork
 
DPC and concierge medicine are two different models of practicing medicine. Patients have better access to their physician in both models, but the biggest difference is that DPC practices are paid through affordable memberships, while concierge practices typically also bill insurance in addition to collecting a membership fee.

Question 4

Do you work with small businesses?

Accepted Answer

Yes! We recognize the difficulties of owning a small business and realize how expensive it can be to provide medical care for your employees. If you are a small business owner, please contact us for group employee rates.

Offering Direct Primary Care (DPC) membership to employees is a smart business investment for small business employers. Having regular primary care improves employees' overall health and DPC helps reduce healthcare costs. Some benefits of offering DPC to employees include:

Lower Healthcare Costs: By providing employees with access to affordable, high-quality primary care, employers may be able to reduce overall healthcare costs by preventing more expensive and complex medical issues from arising. This can also help reduce the cost of employee health insurance plans, which can be a significant expense for employers.
Improved Employee Health: DPC providers often focus on preventive care and wellness, which can help employees stay healthier and reduce the risk of developing chronic conditions. This can lead to fewer missed days of work and improved productivity.
Enhanced Employee Satisfaction: Providing employees with access to personalized, convenient, and affordable primary care can improve employee satisfaction and loyalty. This can be especially important for attracting and retaining top talent in a competitive job market.
Easier Healthcare Administration: With DPC, employers may be able to simplify healthcare administration by reducing the need for claims processing and other administrative tasks. This can help save time and resources for both employers and employees.

Question 5

What if I need to see a specialist?

Accepted Answer

Other than Pacificsource and Cigna, we are considered out-of-network for most insurance companies.

If you have a HMO plan, our practice may not be a good fit since we are out-of-network and you would need an in-network physician to place orders/referrals.
 
If you have a PPO plan, we can refer you to our extensive list of specialty practices in the area. When you need to see a specialist, the cost of those visits will depend on your health insurance plan and coding/billing that the specialist office submits to insurance.

Question 6

What if I am hospitalized?

Accepted Answer

While we do not work at any hospital system, we strongly believe in communicating with your hospital team to provide any information to help with your care while you are there. Just let us know if you are hospitalized so that we can coordinate follow up care after your hospital stay.

Question 7

How do I save on medications?

Accepted Answer

We partner with wholesale pharmacies. We can help you figure out which meds would be more affordable for us to dispense in the office, instead of using insurance at a commercial pharmacy.

Medication savings programs through the pharmaceutical manufacturer (program eligibility may depend on income and insurance coverage):
Pfizer RxPathways 
Merck Patient Assistance Program 
Novo Nordisk Patient Assistance Program 
Lilly Cares 
Contrave CurxAccess Program

For other meds, you can check out these websites:
NeedyMeds
Blink Health
SingleCare 
Cost Plus Drugs
Marley Drug

Frequently Asked Questions