Direct primary care or DPC, is a relatively recent innovation in the employee benefits market: Rather than have workers use a major medical plan to access routine and preventative care from their primary care providers, employers contract directly with a local provider to provide services at a flat monthly rate.
DPC plan members and their families – beneficiaries under the company DPC plan – can all see their primary care provider as needed. And at no additional out-of-pocket cost. There are no co-pays, no deductibles, and no co-insurance charges. All primary and preventive care services are covered under the monthly membership.
Direct primary care is not health insurance. Benefits are limited to preventative and primary care services that you normally receive in your primary care office on an ongoing basis. Employees will need to get protection from catastrophic medical events and other health benefits from other sources.
Cost savings: Direct primary care costs much less for employers than offering traditional health insurance. Businesses can use the savings to provide other benefits, such as subsidizing employee health sharing memberships, or to fund health reimbursement accounts (HRAs) so that employees can purchase their own health insurance in the individual market.
Removes the cost barrier between patients providers: Studies show that even with insurance, many working families delay or skip doctor visits and receiving needed care because of deductibles and other out-of-pocket costs.
Differentiator in a tight labor market: Providing access to medical care at no out-of-pocket cost can be an important differentiator when it comes to recruiting and retaining talent – particularly in industries where most workers don’t have access to more extensive plans, or where low wages otherwise make even seeing a primary care provider tough to afford for many workers.
Lower healthcare costs
Unrivaled patient care and better provider relationships for employees
Increased employee satisfaction and overall wellbeing