The basics
What is direct primary care?
What it is, why it's different, and why I'm building Peak Health here at home in Colorado Springs.
Key takeaways
- DPC is a flat monthly membership paid straight to your doctor, with no copay or bill after a visit.
- Caring for fewer patients means longer visits, same-day or next-day appointments, and calls and texts with your own doctor.
- DPC is not health insurance. Keep coverage for hospital stays, surgery and specialists.
Direct primary care, or DPC, is a membership with your own doctor. You pay a flat monthly fee straight to the practice. In return, you get your primary care: visits, calls, texts, check-ups and the everyday problems that bring people to a family doctor. No insurance company sits between you and the visit, and there is no copay or bill afterward.
Why it's different
Most primary care runs on insurance billing. Every visit becomes a claim, every claim needs codes and paperwork, and the money comes from seeing as many patients as possible. A typical primary care doctor is responsible for thousands of people. That is why visits feel short and appointments are hard to get.
DPC takes billing out of the picture. Because the practice is paid by its members, I can care for far fewer people. That changes the day-to-day experience:
- Visits last as long as they need to, so we can finish the conversation.
- You can usually be seen the same day or the next.
- You can call or text me directly, without a phone tree.
- Prices are plain. Labs and many generic medications cost close to what I pay for them.
Why I'm bringing it to Colorado Springs
I grew up in Colorado Springs. I trained in family medicine at Womack Army Medical Center and have spent my Army career caring for soldiers and their families. Along the way I learned that good medicine takes time, and that most people do better with fewer pills and better habits than with a new prescription at every visit.
DPC lets me practice that way. My focus is prevention, performance and long-term health, with modern medicine used when it is the right tool. Peak Health opens after my Army service ends, and the waitlist will hear first.
Who it's for
Family medicine covers every age, from newborns to grandparents. DPC tends to fit people who want a real relationship with their doctor, families who are tired of copays and waiting rooms, people with high-deductible plans, the self-employed, and small businesses that want a better benefit for their team.
DPC is not health insurance. You still want coverage for the big, rare things like hospital stays, surgery and specialists. I explain how that works in Do I still need health insurance with DPC?
Questions about DPC in Colorado Springs
What does the monthly membership cover?
Your primary care: office visits, calls, texts and video visits with Dr. Bennett, annual wellness exams, care for chronic conditions, sick and injury visits, and many in-office procedures. Members also get labs and many generic medications at close to wholesale cost.
Is this health insurance?
No. Direct primary care is a membership with your doctor. It does not cover hospital stays, surgery, specialists or emergencies, and it is not a substitute for insurance.
How do I reach Dr. Bennett?
Members call, text or video Dr. Bennett directly. There is no phone tree.
Is Peak Health open now?
Not yet. Peak Health opens in Colorado Springs after Dr. Bennett's Army service ends. Join the waitlist to hear first.
Is direct primary care the same as concierge medicine?
They are similar, but DPC usually costs much less and does not bill insurance at all. Concierge practices often charge a large annual fee and also bill your insurance for visits.
Join the waitlist
Peak Health is not open yet. It opens for direct primary care in Colorado Springs after Dr. Bennett's Army service ends. People on the waitlist hear first and are offered membership first.
No payment and no commitment.