Direct primary care is an affordable alternative approach to health care and medical services. Instead of dealing with costly co-pays and insurance claim forms, and waiting to get reimbursed, DPC allows you to pay a monthly, quarterly, or annual fee to the health care provider of your choice. In return for this “membership” or “retainer” fee, you have access to your medical practitioner whenever you need them. 

One of the biggest differences between DPC practices and traditional practices is that in a DPC practice, you’ll have access to your health care provider at your convenience. Visits to the office for medical exams, routine physicals, lab work, or other comprehensive health and wellness services are unlimited, so you don’t have to worry about an expensive co-pay each time you make an appointment. Your physician is there when you need them most, so you can maintain good health, get medical attention for an illness, or learn how to better manage a chronic condition. 

Emsite Health offers DPC for its numerous advantages, one of which is spending more time with your health care provider at each visit. We believe in taking our time with each individual, typically 30-45 minutes per visit, so we can develop a therapeutic relationship to best serve your health care needs. 

No. Concierge Medicine may charge insurance, co-pays and co-insurance along concierge fees to pay for services.  Direct Primary Care only accepts membership fees or same day payments for services. 

No. Our care is based on our monthly fee structure. we only work for our patients and do not contract with any health insurance plans, which allows us the freedom in our business model to provide the kind of care that we believe will make the difference in quality, patient satisfaction, and cost.  

Will I still need health insurance? 

Yes, certainly. While we believe that better access to care and a better relationship with your physician lessens the need for specialty services, we believe it is important to have coverage for complex conditions, procedures, imaging, and hospitalizations that would require higher levels of care that could be expensive and can be covered under insurance plans. Plans that work best with our model include catastrophic plans, high deductible plans, and PPO plans. HMO plans are very difficult since those plans choose a primary care physician for you in their network, usually requiring a duplication of our efforts and our work through the DPC practice. 

We believe that access to your doctor can be valuable, especially for questions that could be simply answered or addressed by someone who knows you, or that can prevent a visit to the emergency department or hospital. We would however encourage you to be interested in “wellness” and would want to become your partner in an overall wellness and in prevention care plan for you. Access to care includes emails and phone visits which are included in the monthly fee and should be considered a valuable service. Because you will not be burdened with co-pays with our accessible schedules, the process of coming in for an appointment will be easy and not rushed. You should feel welcomed with your visit, as well as your emails and phone calls, and not a burden either for yourself or for us for access to good information and care. 

Yes! We actually encourage our patients to have catastrophic coverage for any unplanned events such as hospitalization. For patients with high deductible insurance plans and health savings accounts, we provide an itemized receipt to submit towards their deductible or for reimbursement. 

The fee covers primary care with unlimited office visits, annual wellness exams, sports physicals, basic office procedures, treatment of acute illness or minor injuries and 24/7/365 access to your doctor. Our patients will also have access to discounted labs, imaging tests and special procedures not included in the membership fees. 

Yes

Emsite Health currently provides care for patients 17 years old and older. 

We anticipate a long-term patient-physician relationship. But we ask that you give us a 30-day notice if you wish to cancel your membership. We understand that things happen.

Your physician at Emsite Health will work closely with your doctors at the hospital if you should need to be admitted. We will work closely with them to make sure you get back to health as quickly as possible. 

Absolutely. your physician is there for you whenever you need him. 

Many patients find that their DPC fees are reimbursable through their HSA or FSA. Consult your tax advisor for guidance on your particular circumstance. 

If you have more questions, please contact us so we can further assist you. 

We purchase laboratory services and medications from our vendors at wholesale prices and pass those savings on to our members.