Direct Primary Care vs Concierge Medicine: The Important Differences

Some traditions have existed for so long that we forget why we cling to them. And traditional medicine certainly falls into that category.

In traditional medical clinics, modern patients have to hurry up to wait, then wait to hurry up. They join a long waitlist to get in the doors of a clinic, only to be ushered out in 15 minutes so the next customer can be seen.

This is why so many people are opting for two modern formats: Direct Primary Care (DPC) and concierge medicine.

Hundreds of thousands of patients are making the move to these two models for a lot of the same reasons. Both offer more care and more individual attention. However, that being said, there are important distinctions. These differences are even more important if you are a practitioner debating which type of clinic to open.

With that in mind, let’s take a deep dive into DPC vs. concierge medicine.

What Is Direct Primary Care (DPC)?

DPC is a membership model where your patients will pay you a flat monthly fee for unlimited primary care access.

The most important differentiator is that DPC practices do not deal with insurance at all. The membership cost is the only thing the patient needs to worry about.

Their cost includes things like: 

• Office visits
• Basic labs
• Same-day or next-day appointments
• Chronic disease management
• Telehealth

That last point is particularly important as the demand for telemedicine integration is growing among modern patients.

Not only is membership-based primary care simpler for the patient, but they also get a higher quality of care, and appointments that are between 30 and 60 minutes long.

We are poised to enter the gold rush era for DPC. Starting in 2026, the recently introduced One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) has opened the door for people to use their HSA funds for direct primary care memberships.

It’s an exciting time to work in this space, but of course, only if your clinic is well-positioned to meet a greater demand for your services, and you’ve positioned yourself as a better alternative to the other DPC clinics that will be entering the marketplace.

If you’re considering opening this type of practice, now might be a good time to compare the best DPC EHR solutions on the market today.

What Is Concierge Medicine?

In the world of hospitality, a concierge is someone who makes you feel like you are completely taken care of. And this is the experience concierge medical practices are looking to create.

What is concierge medicine? This model is retainer-based, which means your patients are going to pay an annual fee on top of their regular insurance. Whereas DPC has no insurance involvement whatsoever, concierge physicians will still bill insurance for standard visits, but the premium the patient pays for is going to buy them enhanced services and access that they can’t get anywhere else.

This often includes:

• 24/7 access to their physician
• Advanced screening for things like bone density
• House calls and telemedicine
• Longer and more intensive appointments

Concierge medical care is often associated with a higher quality of care and a more collaborative approach to medicine.

People are expecting a certain level of service when they seek out a concierge doctor, meaning you need to be prepared to provide it.

Tale of the Tape: The Key Differences Between DPC and Concierge Medicine

Here are the two types of practices at a glance:

Insurance and Billing

Despite the many little differences between direct primary care vs. insurance, billing remains the biggest differentiators.

If you’re going to go the way of concierge, health insurance is very much part of your day-to-day, unlike DPC, which avoids it completely. Concierge medicine insurance billing creates a lot of work, and often requires a dedicated staff member to manage it.

On the other hand, DPC clinics don’t have to deal with insurance headaches, which means they don’t need a dedicated staff member to manage this, which leads to considerably less administration overhead. Physicians also don’t have to spend any time working on this, which leads to more time focusing on what they do best, and what makes the clinic the most money: face-to-face time with patients.

Additionally, a lot of patients prefer the DPC model because it means no surprise bills or charges to deal with, along with no co-pays or deductibles for primary care.

Cost and Affordability

How much does direct primary care cost compared to concierge? Here’s a look at what a typical customer may pay over a year.

The Cost of Direct Primary Care (DPC)

• Membership: $100/month – $1,200/year
• Visits: $0 (included)
• Labs: Often discounted or included (~$50–$200 estimate)

Estimated total annual cost:
$1,200 – $1,400

✅ Predictable
✅ No surprise bills
✅ No copays for primary care

As you can see, lower costs are one of the main benefits of direct primary care. On the other hand…

The Cost of Concierge Medicine

• Membership: $3,000/year (mid-range typical)
• Insurance premiums: (still required, not counted here)
• Copays: 4 visits × $30 = $120
• Labs/tests: $200–$500 (insurance-dependent)

Estimated total annual cost:
$3,300 – $3,800+

❌Still paying insurance + out-of-pocket costs
❌Retainer does NOT replace billing

If you want premium care, you need to be prepared to pay a premium price.

Patient Experience and Access

A traditional primary care practice is going to have a roster of between two and 3000 patients. It’s hard to offer individual attention in that situation, and the patient frankly can feel like just another number.

Both direct primary care and concierge primary care have much smaller rosters, often half or even considerably less. This is one of the key benefits of concierge medicine and DPC.

With DPC, you stand a good chance of getting an appointment today or tomorrow. You’re also gonna get a more intensive and attentive 30 to 60-minute appointment, versus the 15 you would be lucky to get in traditional primary care. You’re going to feel connected to your physician, even when you’re not in the office, with direct contact through text or the patient portal.

When it comes to concierge medicine, you’re going to get all of those things, plus premium extras that could include executive physicals, home visits, or airport concierge-style coordination.

Choosing Between DPC and Concierge Medicine

This is obviously a massive decision, and we don’t think our blog is going to make the decision for you. However, we can simplify things with a quick checklist to see if you’re leaning one way or another. 

Choose DPC if you:

• Want to offer affordable, transparent primary care 
• Would rather both you and your patients skip insurance complexity
• Place a lot of value on simplicity and relationship-based care
• Are simply looking to escape insurance-driven practice

You may want to choose concierge medicine if you: 

• Want to offer premium, white-glove service to high-end customers
• Prefer to keep insurance in the loop for specialty referrals
• Want to offer advanced screening and executive health perks
• Have the money to invest in more sizable overhead costs

Also consider: Many DPC practices pair well with a catastrophic/high-deductible health plan + HSA for major medical events.

FAQs

What are the Downsides of Direct Primary Care?

While this is a great way to get access to more personalized care in a lot of cases, it does not replace insurance for hospital visits or specialists. At the same time, you need to stay within a limited network for labs and imaging at some practices. Also, while this sector is rapidly expanding, it’s not quite available everywhere yet.

How is DPC Different From Concierge Care?

Both DPC and concierge care appeal to people who want a higher quality of care and want to break free of the limitations of traditional medicine.

However, they differ when it comes to insurance. DPC has no insurance involvement whatsoever, billing the customer a monthly fee. On the other hand, concierge care does charge insurance, as well as charging the patient a premium monthly recurring fee.

Concierge care also offers premium services, such as:

• Home visits
• 24/7 access to their physician
• Executive physicals
• Virtual visits
• Same or next day visits
• Reduced waiting room wait times

Think of concierge care as a premium version of DPC that charges a premium price on top of insurance billing.

Is DPC a Good Alternative to Insurance?

Please do not think DPC is an alternative to having insurance. It is a model that replaces primary care costs, but you still need insurance coverage for catastrophic care or specialty care. It’s best paired with an HDHP plus an HSA.

What is the Average Cost of DPC?

In most cases, DPC patients pay a relatively low amount between 50 and $150 per month. There are also family plans available.

What makes this model particularly affordable in 2026 is the new HSA eligibility under the OBBBA.

Does Direct Primary Care Count As Insurance?

This is a common source of confusion. It’s important to know that direct primary care is not a type of insurance. DPC is a healthcare delivery model used by practices across the US. It’s not an insurance product or a replacement for carrying health insurance.

Cerbo Supports DPC Practices and is a Good Fit for Concierge Practices

Cerbo is an EHR for primary care that was purpose-built for DPC and cash-based practices, while we also support cash-based concierge practices

We offer: 

• Integrated subscription billing/payment processing
• A secure patient portal with encrypted messaging
• Native telehealth
• Transparent pricing tools

“Cerbo allowed me to open my clinic and begin using the product right away to better manage my practice… There has not been a time I have wished I had picked a different EHR. I tell my colleagues to look at Cerbo because the product works great, and they have excellent customer service. I have been very happy with Cerbo.” – Sunflower DPC’s Dr. Shauna Guthrie, MD, MPH, FAAF.

To learn more about how Cerbo can support your DPC practice or concierge practice, speak with a member of our team.