04/04/2026
Direct Primary Care is often dismissed as "concierge medicine for the wealthy." The data tells a very different story.
We recently surveyed 104 DPC physicians across 22 states. Here's what we found about access to care:
92% of DPC practices serve patients with Medicaid — paying their DPC membership fee — in states where the law allows it
85% provide some form of charity care or a sliding fee scale
69% carry panels where more than 1 in 10 patients is uninsured
74% dispense generic medications directly to patients — at lower prices than they can get elsewhere
For many physicians, DPC includes caring for patients struggling to pay for care — sometimes formally through sliding fees or quietly through donated memberships via third parties.
Confusing DPC with concierge is common but mistaken. Both give better access to primary care but concierge practices layer higher fees on top of complex insurance billing that drives up costs and prices. DPC is simpler with more affordable monthly memberships that can be paired with high deductible insurance or a health cost sharing plan.
Thank you to the New England Direct Primary Care Alliance, Direct Primary Care Alliance, and other DPC physicians who took the time to respond to this survey.
📊 Full survey results in the slides above.
