DPC is not insurance and does not replace the need for insurance. We recommend having a basic or high-deductible insurance plan for healthcare expenses that are more likely to overwhelm a budget, like hospitalizations, surgery, specialist care or invasive procedures.  Insurance, by design, was meant to cover these higher-cost items.

Primary care, by comparison, is much more affordable through a DPC model, where patients access the care they need, as often as they need, for a predicable monthly fee that is affordable for most.

For the same reason we reserve our car insurance only for accidents instead of oil changes (thereby keeping costs reasonable), we see the sense in purchasing health insurance for typical high-cost expenses, and paying directly for routine care.

There are options.  Almost 1/4 of Americans have high-deductible health plans that work well when coupled with a DPC membership.  Many prefer healthcare sharing ministries, such as Samaritan or Medishare, which are approved under the Affordable Care Act as a health insurance alternative that meets the insurance requirement.  One such program, Liberty Direct, even pays for a portion of DPC membership fees.

Employers have even greater flexibility in tailoring health insurance plans to complement a DPC membership, often at a significant saving for small businesses.

Finally, even those with “good insurance” will benefit from the expanded access and quality of care found in DPC membership.

The IRS code that defines “qualified expenses” does not specifically permit use of HSA or FSA funds for DPC membership fees.  Patients who wish to utilize HSA or FSA funds to pay for membership should consult with their benefits representative or accountant.  The Primary Care Enhancement Act (Senate Bill 1989 (Primary Care Enhancement Act) has been introduced to make DPC services qualified health expenses under the federal tax code.

We care for patients with or without insurance, and never bill insurance or collect co-pays for our services. Medicare, however, has restrictive rules that do not allow Dignitas Health to offer direct care for patients with Medicare at this time.  We are happy to place your name on our waiting list so that when we are able to opt-out of Medicare and its accompanying restrictions, we can happily accept you as a patient.

Yes, but our practice will not be considered a participating provider and HMOs often require referrals and testing to be submitted by an in-network provider.  If possible, we recommend patients choose a PPO plan.

We are committed to being available for our patients. Patients are able to contact Dr. Zackrisson after business hours for urgent matters that cannot wait until the next business day.  Dr. Zackrisson asks that patients understand that their doctor is a also a real person who strives to lead by example with an appropriate work-life balance. In the event of a true medical emergency, please call 911 or proceed to the emergency room and contact us once the condition has stabilized.

In the event of a scheduled office closure for educational conferences or vacation, appropriate arrangements will be made for phone calls to be answered by a qualified alternate healthcare provider.  In the event of an unscheduled absence, we will make reasonable attempts to provide alternative coverage.

When your medical needs extend beyond the scope of our practice, we work with you to arrange appropriate specialist referral. We will provide your specialist or hospitalist with relevant information from your medical records as needed to insure optimal care. We will then work closely with you and/or your specialist, or after hospital discharge, to coordinate ongoing care. Specialist and hospital care, like other non-primary care related services, can be appropriately filed with your insurance.

Developing lasting relationships with our patients is fundamental to the way we provide excellent care.  If your membership needs change or you wish to cancel for any reason, you may do so with 30 days’ written notice at any time.  You may be asked to join a waiting list or pay a re-enrollment fee if you wish to rejoin at a later date.