The Cost-Saving Benefits of Direct Primary Care

This Forbes article describes the concept of Direct Primary Care (DPC), including its cost-saving benefits for employers. Proponents of DPC state that the best way to pay for healthcare is to pair DPC with a high-deductible wraparound policy. The idea is you use insurance what it's best for — rare items (house fires, cancer, major car accident). For day-to-day healthcare, DPC is paid for in a model that is akin to a gym membership — a flat monthly fee regardless of how much one uses it (though some have co-pays mainly due to state insurance regulations).

DPC is explicitly named as a potential type of Qualified Health Plan in the Affordable Care Act (section 1301(a)(3). The author argues that health plans should be seriously considering DPC when they think about their health insurance exchange strategies because the plans themselves can be relatively affordable for individuals. There are also good reasons for employers to look at DPC as a potential coverage option because it has the potential to keep rising health care costs in check, especially for younger and healthier populations.