What is included in my monthly membership?

The flat monthly fee includes unlimited office visits, telehealth visits, and communication via text, email, and phone. We also offer comprehensive annual physicals, routine procedures in office, well woman exams, chronic disease management, and much more. Nearly all of your prescription medications are provided in your membership at no extra cost. You also get access to wholesale rates for imaging and labs. 

Will I benefit from DPC if I don’t require frequent medical attention? I am pretty healthy.

The expression “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure” is just as true now as it ever was. The benefits of Direct Primary Care are not just for the sick – in fact, we believe that primary care should be a tool for maintaining health just as much as it is for treating illness. At Highlands DPC, we work with you to optimize your health and habits at all stages of life.

What happens if I need medical attention while I’m away from home?

By having your doctor’s email and phone number, you can reach out to them whenever you need us, wherever you are. Many conditions can be diagnosed and treated via a simple conversation. We will also locate the nearest pharmacy and order medications if appropriate for the circumstances.

If I have Medicare, can I still join Highlands Direct Primary Care?

Yes. You need only sign a one-time waiver declaring that neither you nor your doctor will directly bill Medicare for our services. Even though Medicare will not pay us for any services you receive in our practice, your Medicare benefits will otherwise remain unchanged and can continue to be used for all other medical care received outside of our practice. Medicare will still cover any laboratory testing, imaging, medications, or hospitalizations prescribed by our offices.

Medicare patients tend to save a great deal of money when getting medications through our medication program.

Can you help me find affordable insurance for my family or my business?

Absolutely. We’re fortunate to work with the industry leaders in health insurance who build custom plans that remove much of the waste and inefficiency from a typical, bloated policy. We’ve been able to save families nearly $1,000/month and many businesses up to 50% while providing a higher level of care.

Is DPC the same thing as concierge medicine?

Direct Primary Care and Concierge Medicine share some similarities, but they are different. They are both membership-based models that charge a periodic fee. However, in the concierge model, the fee just covers access; it often doesn’t include the actual care provided.  Concierge practices generally charge a higher monthly fee for the exclusivity of being one of a few patients to see that physician, and they typically still bill your insurance for your visits.

With Direct Primary Care, your visits and other care are included in your monthly fees. Plus, removing insurance from routine health care enables us to charge lower prices and negotiate better rates for labs, medications, and imaging. Using your insurance less often gives you the ability to lower your premiums over time.

Do I need to have insurance to join Highlands DPC?

No, we do not require insurance or ever bill insurance for our services. We do recommend that you have an insurance plan for emergencies, surgeries, and any specialist services you may need. One of the many benefits of having a Direct Primary Care physician is that we have the time to provide you with personalized and high-quality care, which saves you money in the long term without involving insurance. 

How does DPC save me money?

Insurance premiums are rising faster than wages, and costs for healthcare services get higher every year in the insurance-based model. With Direct Primary Care, we eliminate copays, provide wholesale pricing for medications, and have negotiated for at-cost labs and imaging which in many cases may be enough to save the cost of membership entirely. Also, you’ll be able to avoid many visits by sending your questions directly to your doctor via text or email - something you won’t get from a traditional practice. In addition, the enhanced access to your physicians minimizes the need for costly urgent-care and emergency room visits.

Most importantly, since you are getting all of this amazing care, you can cut way back on your insurance premiums. Most DPC patients pair a DPC membership with a high-deductible, low-premium insurance plan so they’re covered in case of a major health issue. You can leave the rest of your health care up to the doctors at Highlands Direct Primary Care.

Do you promise 24/7 access?

We encourage you to reach out to us whenever you have a question or concern. For routine or non-urgent issues such as medication refills or questions about mild symptoms, we recommend that you contact us via email and we will respond to your message by the following business day. For urgent questions, you can reach us via text message and we will respond as soon as possible. For emergencies, please call us via phone or call 911 if the issue is life-threatening.

Do you accept insurance?

It seems that anytime you go to the doctor in Orlando nowadays, the first question you are asked is "what insurance do you have?" instead of “hi, how are you?”

You might use your auto insurance to fix a smashed fender or other major damages from an event like a severe car accident...But you'd never use it to get an oil change (or pay for gas). For some reason, health insurance is currently being used for the equivalent of oil changes for humans -- routine physicals, office visits, simple blood tests, and minor procedures. This just doesn't make sense.

We forgo insurance payments in order to save our patients from the arbitrary, intrusive decisions that come with using insurance. Charging a direct monthly fee frees us from the typical contractual agreements that prevent non-DPC practices from offering wholesale prices on laboratory tests, imaging, and medications.

That being said, if you do have insurance, you can use it to pay for vaccines, medications, labs, imaging, specialists visits, hospitalizations, etc., even as a patient of Highlands DPC. The only difference is that we do not directly bill insurance, and insurance does not play a role in paying the membership to the practice.

What if I’m uninsured?

We take care of any patient, regardless of your insurance situation. Since we work completely outside of the insurance system, none of the billing for care here is eligible for insurance reimbursement. However, we recommend that everyone have insurance coverage, which is still important in the event of a major health issue.

What if I need to see a specialist?

As internists, we are trained in the diagnosis and management of a broad range of medical conditions. And as DPC physicians, we have the time and attention to read about and understand your diagnosis and do our best work for  you. However, sometimes seeking specialist insight will be what is best for you and your condition – in those cases, we have multiple tools at our disposal. We utilize virtual specialist consulting services to bring the consultant onto your care team. In cases when an in-person consultation is needed, we will work with you to find a specialist who provides direct care or one within your insurance network. We will follow up directly with any and all specialists involved in your care.