Direct care is just like concierge medicine, right?
Well, nope.
In both models, patients have direct access to their physician. The basis of concierge medicine is paying for access to the doctor. Patients typically pay an annual retainer, physicians still bill insurance and may have office visit fees or co-pays. I believe access is so important, so this is a great options for those who can afford it.
In direct care, patients pay a monthly membership with unlimited access and visits to their doctor. Access is similar to concierge medicine. In direct care, though, insurance is not billed by the doctor and the physician negotiates discounted cash rates for labs and imaging for their patients.
Both types of practices enable the doctor to keep their panel smaller in order to dedicate more time to each patient.